Nevada gas prices climb for fifth straight month

By Kyle B. Hansen

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 | 1:30 p.m.

After five months of rising prices, an average gallon of gas in Nevada now costs 36 cents more than it did a year ago, AAA reported today.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Nevada is $3.16, a 4-cent increase from a month ago, and well above last February’s average price of $2.80 per gallon.

Nevada is one of 36 states with an average above $3 per gallon, the auto club said in its monthly fuel price report. The national average price went up 3 cents this month to $3.12 per gallon.

Prices in Southern Nevada are lower than in other parts of the state, with the average in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas at $3.12, a 4-cent increase from a month ago for Las Vegas and a 3-cent increase for North Las Vegas. Henderson has an average price of $3.14, a 5-cent increase from last month.

Reno and Sparks had 6-cent increases this month, to an average of $3.27 in Reno and $3.28 in Sparks. Gas prices in Carson City went up 9 cents, to $3.22, and in Elko prices rose 15 cents to an average of $3.19.

Nevada has the 15th highest gas prices in the continental United States, AAA said.

Hawaii has the highest prices in the nation, with an average of $3.74 per gallon, and California has the highest average in the lower 48 states, at $3.41.

Las Vegas hit a record high price of $4.28 per gallon on June 21, 2008, according to the auto club. Reno’s record price of $4.22 came the following day.

AAA warned last month that if current trends continue, those records could be broken this summer.