GasBuddy: Average Gas Prices Could Rise Above $3 Per Gallon Soon02/09/2026There’s a chance the national average price of gas could go back above $3 per gallon in the weeks ahead. GasBuddy's Head of Petroleum Analysis Patrick De Haan explains:“The national average price of gasoline only edged slightly higher last week, but nine of the ten largest weekly price movements were increases, led by West Coast states as California begins the transition to summer gasoline. Most states saw relatively minor fluctuations, but we’re now starting to see seasonal trends take hold on the West Coast, with those pressures expected to gradually push eastward in the weeks ahead. Even though oil prices slipped slightly last week amid reduced geopolitical risk, strengthening seasonal factors are likely to intensify, potentially driving the national average back above the $3-per-gallon mark, where prices could remain for at least part of the spring." -Patrick De Haan