The winter storm affecting much of the Gulf Coast region and rising crude oil prices have driven the average gasoline pump price in Butler County to nearly $3 a gallon.

The winter storm affecting much of the Gulf Coast region and rising crude oil prices have driven the average gasoline pump price in Butler County to nearly $3 a gallon.

This week's average price for a gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Butler was $2.98, as the Western Pennsylvania average jumped from $2.81 the week of Feb. 15. This time last year, gas was averaging $2.721 a gallon throughout Western Pennsylvania, according to AAA East Central data.

Jim Garrity, AAA East Central's public and legislative affairs manager, said a large factor in the jump is that nearly 40% of U.S. crude oil production is offline due to refinery closures in the Gulf Coast and areas in the Midwest due to the winter storms.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that appears in Wednesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.