COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Gas prices for the Columbia Metro area are up 5.1 cents along with holiday travel.
According to ColumbiaGasPrices.com, the average price per gallon for regular unleaded is $3.40. This compares with the national average that has increased 5.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.67 per gallon.
Experts say the increase comes from the holiday weekend along with an active hurricane season.
"Gasoline prices continue to slowly advance, but with major storms impeding the activity of refineries, it shouldn't come as a shock," said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst. "I believe that we may see additional impacts with Tropical Storm Lee as many oil platforms have already ceased production, and there may be refineries that shut due to intense rain. The good news is that I do expect gasoline prices to being falling closer to the end of September as we switch back to cheaper Winter gasoline and the peak of hurricane season passes," DeHaan adds.
South Carolina currently ranks second in the nation for having the lowest gas prices. Spartanburg, Greenville, Columbia and Myrtle Beach all hold places in the top ten list for cities across the country with the cheapest gas.
Columbia prices at the pump are now nearly 100 cents higher than last year at this time, and 7.3 cents lower than one month ago.
Holiday travel across the state is also up. AAA Carolinas expects travel to be up slightly in South Carolina. State troopers and State Transport Police officers will join local law enforcement throughout the state holding public safety checkpoints, conducting saturation patrols and line enforcements
The department reports that as of the end of August, 526 people have died this year on the state's highways, an increase over the 516 deaths registered at this time last year.
The holiday weekend is particularly dangerous because roads may be congested with vacationers and out-of-state travelers.
(The Associated Press Contributed to this report.)
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