Gas prices up 44 cents from last month

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Gas prices continue sneaking up.

AAA says it’s costing drivers 44-cents more a gallon at the pump than they were paying this time last month.  It was $3.64 a gallon in La Crosse Monday. 

Experts say there are two reasons for the spike. The refineries are starting to swtich over to the more expensive summer blend, and the price of crude oil has sharply risen since country went over the fiscal cliff.

Even with the early increase in 2013, the local AAA manager still expects the price to peak when it usually does. “We don’t expect it to go over the $4 a gallon mark, what we’re forcasting, and it is just a forecast, what we’re forecasting is maybe peaking some time in April at about $3.85 a gallon,” said Cheryl Thienes.

Thienes says it should level off at that price until Memorial Day Weekend.