Gas Prices Are at Record Highs. Here's Why They Won't Drop Anytime Soon

We're just pennies away from $5 for a gallon of regular gas, according to the latest data from AAA, which reported the national average at the pump on Tuesday is about $4.92.

Heading into summer, analysts predict even higher prices: According to a report by JPMorgan, the US could surpass $6.20 a gallon by August. 

Thirteen states -- Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii,  Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington --  have already blown past the $5 threshold, with California leading the pack at $6.37 a gallon.

One Chevron station in Mendocino, about 150 miles north of San Francisco, had a listed price of $9.60 a gallon on Friday afternoon.