Texas Gas Prices Jump 14 Cents in a Week, and $4 Gas Could Be Next

Texas drivers got an unwelcome surprise this week. According to AAA Texas, the statewide average for regular unleaded climbed 14 cents to $3.83 a gallon, a jump that runs against the usual post-Labor Day cooldown. El Paso is feeling it worst at $4.22, Houston is holding steadiest at $3.69, and Abilene was the only metro in the state to see prices fall, down a single cent to $3.77. The national average now sits at $4.27, so the squeeze isn’t confined to one state.

The root cause isn’t local at all. A US-Iran standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US struck three Iranian oil tankers and shipping remains restricted, has oil markets on edge. Brent Crude is trading at $107.80 a barrel and West Texas Crude at $102.70, and those numbers eventually show up on the sign at your corner station. AAA’s Daniel Armbruster said prices would normally be trending lower this time of year, but market volatility is keeping upward pressure on gasoline. GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan warned that prices over $4 a gallon could appear all over Texas by next week.

For Lawton drivers, this matters more than it might seem. Plenty of us commute across the state line, run to Wichita Falls for shopping, or head down to Dallas for games and appointments. A 14-cent jump on the Texas side tends to drag Oklahoma prices along with it before long. If the predictions hold, the smart move is to combine errands, keep your tires properly inflated, and ease off the aggressive starts. Small habits add up when every gallon costs more.

Where are you seeing the cheapest gas around Lawton right now? Let us know in the comments.