thank you for joining us. let s get into the gas prices and where they can stand. if we pull this graphic up as it stands a gallon of gas in the u.s. $3.58 yesterday, $3.57. or we could go $3.54. obviously, not a big change, we are talking pennies but it is starting to tick up summer. where do you see these prices going in the coming months? i m afraid they will be going higher. perhaps a lot higher. if we look at the job the u.s. industry has done to keep prices under wraps, it is amazing. producing gasoline at a record pace. we have added refining capacity to keep up with demand but they are not getting any help on the way here at new regulations by the biden administration have closed inventory low and not able to build them up like they used to. if you look at gasoline inventory today in real terms the lowest level since 2016.
the memorial day road trip is certainly back. aaa telling us just look at this number they anticipate more than 37 million americans will be taking to the roadways this memorial day weekend which is just, jim, underneath the 2019 pre-pandemic levels that we saw three years ago. but in terms of what advice aaa has for all of us taking the roads, here s what they told us. definitely inspect that vehicle before you take that long road trip. check your tire tread and inflation, make sure your battery has a good charge. make sure your fluid levels are topped off. during this memorial day weekend aaa anticipates coming to the roadside rescue of 460,000 stranded drivers. jim, we ve got to talk about gas prices. today the national average $3.58. a year ago it was all the way up to $4.60. it hit a record of $5 the national average june of last
day weekend is $3.58. so prices are relatively high in terms of historical terms, but they are coming down. prices coming down especially here in california. the states of alaska, new jersey, new york, and florida. we did speak to analysts from gas buddy, and they tell us it is less and less likely that the national average for gasoline across the united states will cross over $4 a gallon. that is good news for anybody, any american planning their great road trip for the summer of 2023. mike valerio, cnn, los angeles. and just ahead, chinese comedians are learning the hard way that there are some jokes they can t tell without harsh consequences.
just over 37 million americans. it does not exceed the number of americans who traveled in 2019 before the pandemic and that could be because of inflation and relatively high gas prices. aaa did give some advice for those who are about to begin their automotive journeys. listen to what they told us. inspect your vehicle before you take the long road trip. check your tire tread and make sure your battery has a good charge and fluid levels are topped off. aaa anticipates coming to the roadside rescue of 460,000 stranded drivers. in terms of fuel, the cost of gasoline, those prices are coming down from where we were last year. we had prices that were about $4.60 one year ago. the national average now is $3.58. prices are relatively high in terms of historical terms but coming down. especially in california.
topped off. during this memorial day weekend, aaa anticipates coming to the roadside rescue of more than 460,000 stranded drivers. reporter: the cost of gasoline, those prices aren t coming down from where we were last year. we had prices that were about $4.60 a year ago, a national average for around this memorial day weekend is $3.58. so prices are relatively high in terms of historical terms, but they are coming down. prices coming down especially here in california. the states of alaska, new jersey, new york, and florida. we did speak to analysts from gas dbud by, and they tell us i is less and less likely that the national average for gasoline across the united states will cross over $4 a gallon. that is good news for anybody, any american planning their great road trip for the summer of 2023. mike valerio, cnn, los angeles.