But while pump prices have increased more than 15% over the last 23 days, and are likely to go even higher over the coming weeks, experts don't foresee anything like the record levels of 2008.
"An overall increase is not abnormal for this time of year," said Bob van der Valk, a fuel-pricing analyst with 4Refuel Inc. in Lynnwood, Wash. "It will follow a similar trend, just starting at a lower price than 2008 did."
He also cited recent refinery fires in California, Pennsylvania and Illinois, curtailing supply, as a reason for the current spike.
The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline increased Thursday to $2.362, up 2.8 cents in a daily survey compiled for motorist group AAA. That's the 23rd consecutive increase, during which the price of gas has increased 31.4 cents, or 15.3%. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have regular unleaded gas prices of $2 and higher.
0:00/2:24Summer pump jumpBut the surge in prices is somewhat relative. The average price is down 38% from the $3.807 per gallon AAA reported one year ago. And it's down $1.75, or 42.5%, from the record high of $4.114 set last July 17.
Gas prices could increase to $2.41 this weekend, said Tom Kloza, publisher of Oil Price Information Service.
"That would be an astounding 50% increase from November," he noted. "We have never seen a similar percentage increase from winter to spring."
As a resultof the comparatively lower prices, van der Valk said he expected Americans will drive more this summer when they take time off.
That wasn't the case last year, when prices at the pump were volatile. Soaring prices curtailed travel, and by July 17 gas prices had risen already 35% year-over-year.
Consumers finally began to see a reprieve in August. But late summer brought Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and gas prices shot back up in September, reaching more than $5 per gallon in some parts of the country. On Sept. 16, gas prices started declining amid weakening demand as the global economic slowdown took hold.
Barring major hurricanes or other unforeseen events, van der Valk expects the average price to peak around $2.75 by Labor Day. California and other West Coast states could see prices spike as high as $3, he added.
Kloza doesn't see quite as big a spike.
"If you believe in $3 gas, you believe in the Dow going back to 10,000," he said. "Fundamentals are the only way prices will move higher -- and I don't see that."
Instead, Kloza predicted average national prices will peak this year around $2.50 --and "we may be really close" to that level, he said.
And then, the cycle heads downward again.
"It could go below $2 by Christmas," van der Valk said. "People will say, 'Great, the gas companies are giving it away again.'"
