Are you ready to pay more at the gas pump?   I noticed a hike at the pump in Stephens City on Tuesday - $3.29 at the 7-11 on Aylor Road, and $3.35 at Sheetz near the Interstate 81 exit.

According to Gas Buddy, it looks like the lowest place to buy gas in the Northern Shenandoah Valley this morning is at Costco in Winchester, where it's $3.24 a gallon. 

Front Royal stations, which usually have the lowest gas prices in our area,  are selling gas for between $3.25 and $3.27 a gallon.  Hess on Shenandoah Avenue & West 17th Street is the lowest reported to Gas Buddy at $3.25. 

AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report notes that the current average price of a gallon of regular gas today is $3.381.     A week ago, the average was $3.372.    A year ago it was $3.096. 

The highest recorded average gas price was set on July 17, 2008 at $4.114. 

Some news reports today indicate gas prices could break that record with up to $5 a gallon by this summer.

View local gas prices at www.sweetvalleydeals.com/gas

Learn more about what's going on with gasoline prices at this U.S. Energy Information Administration website.