rss
mobile
Feeds
Although South Carolina normally ranks among the five or six cheapest states in terms of gas prices, being the lowest is unusual, especially at this time of year, AAA spokesman Tom Crosby said.
"It's the beginning of the summer season, and Myrtle Beach is one of the top five destinations on the East Coast. You've got a real tendency for people to charge more," he said.
"Right now, it's nice to be No. 1."
Gas prices -- which averaged just less than $2.48 a gallon for regular unleaded on Wednesday -- likely will rise as the July 4 holiday nears, Crosby said. But barring a catastrophe, such as a hurricane in the oil-soaked Gulf Coast, prices won't top $3 a gallon this season, he said.
The report also marks the first time this year gas prices in the state were lower than a year ago. The average price per gallon declined just less than a penny from 2009.
Columbia fared slightly better than the state average, with gas selling at $2.47 a gallon, a penny cheaper than a year ago. The Upstate had the cheapest prices in the state, averaging $2.44 a gallon. Myrtle Beach was at $2.45.
The Charleston area had the highest prices, averaging $2.52 a gallon. AAA doesn't monitor gas prices in Beaufort County.
Gas prices have fallen as Europe's financial crisis wears on, hurting that region's economy and demand for oil, and investors abandon oil futures, driving down the price of oil, Crosby said.
Summer travel also has been weak, he said.
But demand for gas could pick up as vacationers look for alternatives to the Gulf Coast, where the massive oil spill is wreaking havoc on the environment and economy. "They're worried about what they might encounter at the Gulf," Crosby said of vacationers.
The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce said whereas cheap gas is good news, most of the people they market to are not particularly price sensitive. "We market to an affluent audience," said Carlotta Ungaro, chamber president.
City editor Lisa Allen contributed to this report.
