Gas prices in Montana are on the rise, though not as quickly as in the rest of the country. One expert says prices will likely continue to increase.
The average price of gas in Montana is $2.39 per gallon, which is almost 12 cents higher than it was at the same time last month. That’s according to Patrick DeHaan, the head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, a company that collects data on gas prices and releases it on an app. He says rising gas prices are not unique to Montana.
"Prices are going up coast to coast, primarily driven by last week's extreme cold in Texas."
DeHaan says the national average is moving even faster. He says Montana tends to lag when prices go up across the board because it’s a more rural state. But he says the state will likely catch up, especially as spring weather rolls in and more people get vaccinated.
"People are getting out. States are slowly reopening. So there's a lot of reasons now that motorists are finding to get out of the house."
He says the most expensive pump in the state can be found in Cardwell, in Jefferson County, which is charging $3.29 per gallon. One station on the Malmstrom Air Force Base and another in Great Falls are tied for the lowest price at $2.22 per gallon.
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