If you filled up in King County Thursday, you already know: gas just hit a number we’ve never seen before. The King County average climbed to $6.05 a gallon, a fresh all-time high, and the rest of Washington isn’t far behind.
Washington’s statewide average sits at $5.79, according to AAA gas price data, which puts us second in the country behind California’s $6.14. The national average? A comparatively breezy $4.56.
And things could get worse before they get better. Oil prices surged in midday trading Thursday after President Donald Trump warned he’ll strike Iran’s energy infrastructure Saturday unless the country reopens the Strait of Hormuz. That narrow waterway moves about a fifth of the world’s oil, so when traders get nervous about it, pump prices feel it fast.
How gas prices look around western Washington
King County tops the list of major metro areas, but drivers across the region are feeling it. Here’s where things stand Thursday:
- Seattle/King County: $6.05
- Everett: $5.99
- Tacoma: $5.89
- Vancouver: $5.76
- Bellingham: $5.72
And then there’s tiny Wahkiakum County, down along the lower Columbia, which has the highest average in the entire state at $6.30 a gallon. King County’s $6.05 marks the first time Seattle-area drivers have crossed the $6 line…