Carol Thorp Expect Quotations

Motorists can expect two to three weeks more of price increases that could send the average price of regular as high as $3.10 to $3.20 per gallon.

Refiners are selling off all supplies of winter grade fuel in advance of next Tuesday's deadline. That has put extra supply on the market, sending prices lower. Motorists can expect to see prices stay near current levels for a couple of weeks. After that, with the extra winter grade supply used up, motorists should expect more upward pressure on retail gas prices.

Wholesale gasoline prices have dropped across the country and West Coast gasoline inventory is strong. That actually led to a slight decline in pump prices in the last few days, although overall averages are still higher than at this time last week. However, oil industry analysts expect wholesale prices to start heading up again once the more expensive summer-grade fuel starts going on the market at the end of February.

Prices have fallen 25 percent since their record highs in September. After the New Year, motorists can expect prices to begin rising as refineries cut back production to conduct their annual maintenance and begin the process of producing the summer blend of gas, which must be completed by the end of February.

Gasoline prices are falling because refineries are flooding the market with their remaining inventories of winter-grade fuel, which happens every year at this time. The slight downward trend should continue for a couple of weeks. Refineries begin shipping summer-grade fuel on March 1st. After then, motorists can expect to see prices turn upward again.