The roller coaster ride for natural gas prices continues as the statewide average dropped over the course of the past week amid predictions that home heating prices will be more expensive than ever this year.
According to the Henry Hub reporting site for the week ending Wednesday, Oct. 13, natural gas prices fell $.44 to an average of $5.42 per MMBtu.
The other two home heating fuels saw increases with propane up $.08 per gallon to $2 and home heating oil up $.05 to $3.05.
According to AAA Iowa, the average price of two of three motor fuels also saw increases over the past week.
Regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.09, up $.05 from last week and $1.03 higher than a year ago. The national average is now at $3.29, up $.07 over the last week.
Retail diesel saw a spike of $.09 cents, now at $3.32 per gallon, which is $.18 less than the national average of $3.50. A year ago, diesel was at $2.18 per gallon in Iowa.
Wholesale ethanol stayed steady at $2.21 per gallon.