Washington motorists caught a small break at the pump this week, with the statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline falling 4 cents over the last seven days, according to AAA. The average price for regular fuel stood at $5.53 per gallon Sept. 28, down from $5.57 a week ago, though prices remain well above both month-ago and year-ago levels.
Despite the slight decrease, Washington continues to have some of the highest fuel prices in the nation. The state's average regular gasoline price is $1.05 per gallon higher than the national average of $4.48.
Diesel prices also edged downward, falling from $7.43 to $7.42 per gallon statewide. However, diesel remains near historic highs after reaching a Washington record of $7.47 per gallon on Sept. 23, according to AAA.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said refinery issues continue to create divergent trends across the country.
"Average gasoline prices fell in slightly more than half of states over the last week, with the Great Lakes seeing the largest declines after a major refinery successfully restarted, while the West Coast moved in the opposite direction as refinery snags there sent prices jumping significantly," De Haan said.
He added that while many parts of the country could see modest declines in fuel costs in the coming weeks, the West Coast remains vulnerable to additional increases.
A year of extremes
The small decline this week comes after one of the most volatile years for fuel prices in Washington in recent memory.
The year began with the statewide average at $3.84 per gallon on Jan. 5. Prices climbed steadily through winter, reaching $4.37 by early March before surging above $5 per gallon by the end of the month.
The sharpest increase came during spring. Washington's average price rose from $4.11 in February to $4.90 in March, $5.41 in April, and $5.74 in May.
That surge culminated on May 20, when regular unleaded reached an all-time Washington record of $5.79 per gallon.
After peaking in May, prices eased through early summer. The statewide monthly average declined to $5.48 in June, $5.03 in July, and $5.21 in August as refinery production improved and seasonal demand moderated.
The relief proved temporary.
Beginning in late August and continuing through September, prices began rising again. Washington's average climbed from $5.13 on Aug. 3 to $5.57 on Sept. 21, driven in part by refinery disruptions affecting West Coast fuel supplies.
While regular gasoline remains below its May record, September's monthly average of approximately $5.54 per gallon remains the second-highest sustained pricing period of the year.
Prices remain well above 2025
Although prices have stabilized in recent weeks, they remain significantly higher than a year ago.
Washington's average regular gasoline price is currently 97 cents higher than Sept. 2025's average of $4.56 per gallon, an increase of about 21%.
Diesel has seen an even steeper rise. At $7.42 per gallon, diesel is up $2.36 from a year ago, an increase of nearly 47%.
Nationally, regular gasoline is also considerably higher than a year ago, rising from $3.13 to $4.48 per gallon.
Looking ahead
For now, fuel prices appear to be in a holding pattern. Washington motorists have seen only modest week-to-week changes throughout September, with statewide averages remaining between $5.51 and $5.57 per gallon.
Analysts at both GasBuddy and AAA say the next few weeks will largely depend on refinery operations on the West Coast, crude oil prices and broader geopolitical developments affecting fuel markets. While many states are seeing prices ease, refinery issues continue to put upward pressure on Washington fuel costs, meaning drivers could see either small declines or renewed increases heading into October.
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