Gas prices are spiking in Montana as crude oil prices are up over 40 percent.

"Prices across the state have increased about seven cents a gallon in the last week," said Gasbuddy.com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan. "Montana's average today, about $1.84 a gallon that's up from $1.77 a week ago. Indeed, many stations in the state have seen nearly a ten cent increase, due mainly to the rise in crude prices."

DeHaan predicts the price will continue to climb as refineries perform spring maintenance and switch supplies to summer gasoline.

"The gasoline supply will continue to tighten as refineries are performing this work, so motorists should expect a moderate uptick at the pump to continue," DeHaan said. "We will inevitably likely see gas prices go over two dollars a gallon, but despite that, the gas prices this summer will likely be the lowest we've seen in nearly a decade."
The national average gas price is rising much faster than Montana’s and is already up to $1.93 up more than twelve cents over last week.

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