Show-Me State maintains lowest gas average in nation

The Show-Me State started 2016 with the least expensive gas prices in the nation.

At $1.70 per gallon this morning, Missouri was No. 1 for a second-straight week on GasBuddy.com’s list of the lowest averages in the nation. To round out the top five, Oklahoma trailed at No. 2, following by South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Missouri’s gas average as of yesterday was 14.8 cents lower than a month ago and 16.2 cents below the same time last year. The national average dropped to $1.99 per gallon yesterday, representing a 5-cent month-to-month decrease and 19.9-cent year-to-year drop, according to a news release.

In Missouri, the lowest recorded gas price this morning was $1.36 per gallon at a filling station in Lee’s Summit. The highest price, $2.59 per gallon, was found at a station each in Carthage and Cape Girardeau.

Springfieldians could purchase gas for as low as $1.56 per gallon at Price Cutter Express, 1260 St. Louis St. Prices elsewhere ranged from $1.57 to $1.59 per gallon.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $36.99 per barrel as of 10:12 a.m., compared to $36.87 a week ago. Light sweet crude oil futures for February were trading at $36.88 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.