WA gas prices surge past $5 a gallon, 2nd highest in nation; Iran war and Climate Commitment Act blamed

Washington drivers are getting hit from two directions at the gas pump, and there is no relief in sight. The Iran war is sending prices surging nationwide, but Washington drivers are paying nearly $1.21 more per gallon than the average American, and experts say the state’s Climate Commitment Act is a big reason why.

The statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline in Washington has reached $5.06, second only to California in the nation, according to AAA. Seattle’s average is even higher at $5.22 a gallon. The national average sits at $3.85.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, told “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio that prices have surged roughly 80 cents a gallon in Washington in the last month alone, driven by the conflict in Iran and a series of compounding factors hitting the West Coast particularly hard.

Iran war sends diesel prices to record highs

The biggest driver of rising gas prices in 2026 is the war in Iran and the threat to oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz. De Haan said the blockage is affecting roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day, creating a massive supply imbalance that is pushing prices higher globally.

Diesel has been hit even harder. Washington’s diesel average has reached $6.05 a gallon. De Haan said the 14-day increase in diesel prices has now set a record, surpassing even the spike that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Even during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the increase to diesel was a $1.17. We’ve now exceeded that 14-day increase, about a $1.22,” De Haan said. “The fastest two-week increase in diesel prices on record, according to GasBuddy data.”

De Haan said Iran is unlikely to back down quickly.

“Iran probably sees the weakness. If oil markets suddenly go back to normal, they are going to be left out in the cold all alone. So Iran probably is still trying to achieve maximum chaos, and that’s why it’s hard to know when they will alleviate their grip on the threats on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Why are Washington gas prices so high in 2026?

The Iran conflict explains the national surge, but it doesn’t fully explain why Washington drivers are paying so much more than everyone else. De Haan pointed directly to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, the state’s cap and invest program, as a significant factor driving the gap between Washington and neighboring states.

Before the Climate Commitment Act took effect, Washington and Oregon’s gas prices tracked closely together. That’s no longer the case. Oregon’s statewide average is $4.61 a gallon, according to AAA. Washington’s is $5.06. That’s a 45-cent gap between two states that used to be nearly identical at the pump, and it’s a gap that exists regardless of what’s happening in Iran.

Critics of the Climate Commitment Act have long argued it adds 40 to 60 cents a gallon to Washington gas prices. De Haan said the numbers back that up.

“I think that 40-cent-a-gallon difference would jive with me,” De Haan said.

Washington is now second only to California in gas prices, which are averaging $5.56 a gallon according to AAA. Hawaii, at $5.02, is third. Seattle’s average of $5.22 a gallon is among the highest of any major city in the country.

The West Coast is also dealing with a reduction in refining capacity. The Valero refinery in Benicia, California, one of the region’s major fuel producers, processed its last barrel of crude oil just weeks ago and has now shut down permanently.

“That refinery being shut down is limiting how much capacity there is on the West Coast,” De Haan said. “So certainly a lot of different impacts, from Iran to the seasonal changeover, a loss in capacity.”

The seasonal switchover to a more expensive summer gasoline blend is adding to the pressure as well.

When will Washington gas prices go down?

Don’t expect quick relief. De Haan said even under the best-case scenario, gas prices typically fall at a pace of one to three cents per day.

“If we’ve gone up 82 cents a gallon statewide, it’ll probably take a little over a month for us, probably closer to Memorial Day, if things drastically improve today,” he said.

If the conflict in Iran escalates further, prices could go considerably higher. De Haan cited Qatar’s energy minister, suggesting oil could reach $150 a barrel, with Iran itself suggesting $200 is possible.

“It certainly could be well above the $100 a barrel mark,” De Haan said. “Really, it’s hard to know exactly where that number is, when demand will decrease, or how much it will decrease to better match the price.”

For Washington drivers already paying among the highest gas prices in the country, the combination of the Iran conflict, the Valero closure, the seasonal blend switchover, and the ongoing cost of Washington’s Climate Commitment Act means there is no easy off-ramp from the pain at the pump.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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