Gas prices in Nevada still higher than rest of the nation

The average price of gasoline in the United States fell another 10.5 cents, with consumers poised to save nearly a dollar a gallon at the pump compared with a year ago, according to a Lundberg survey released on Sunday.

Bigger U.S. oil inventories and a strengthening U.S. dollar means "the price crash has resumed," survey publisher Trilby Lundberg said. "Many retailers have passed the savings on to the street, to the consumers."

Regular-grade gasoline fell to an average $2.24 per gallon in the Oct. 23 survey, down from $2.34 on Oct. 9, when the previous survey was taken. The price has fallen 62 cents a gallon in the past five months.

The average gasoline price Friday in the Las Vegas Valley was $2.86 per gallon. It was $2.78 in Nevada. According to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report, that puts Nevada at third in the nation after Hawaii and California. 

The cheapest gas (regular fuel) in the valley on Sunday afternoon was $2.49 at Costco in Summerlin, according to VegasGasPrices. The highest gas price listed for the same grade of fuel was $3.39 at 7-Eleven near Las Vegas Boulevard North and East Stewart Avenue.

Lower prices are expected at the end of fall, as it is set to keep falling nationwide.

"Las Vegas is kind of an island, separated from the rest of the country and served by California refineries," Phil Flynn, an energy analyst with the Price Futures Group in the Chicago Board of Trade, told the Review-Journal in September. "That has kept prices up in your area."

The lowest average price per gallon in the Lower 48 states was in Charleston, South Carolina, at $1.85 per gallon. Los Angeles came in highest, at $2.87. 

Kristen DeSilva with reviewjournal.com contributed to this report. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva