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COLUMBIA (WACH)-- Average retail gasoline prices in Columbia have risen 6.1 cents per gallon in the past week.

According to ColumbiaGasPrices.com the average price for a gallon of regular Sunday, March 25th was $3.66.

The national average has increased 4.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.86 per gallon. 

"The national average has risen twenty one consecutive days, according to our data, a troubling sign. Typically we expect such increases to occur more so in April," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan.

"We're 31-cents per gallon ahead of our year ago pace, and I'm seriously contemplating revising my January forecasts upward having seen things race higher, faster than expected. If there's any ounce of good news for motorists, its that such high prices so quickly may mean prices will peak in April rather than May," DeHaan said.