Jersey gas prices for January … has the drop stopped?

Jersey drivers are starting to wonder if the price drops at the gas pump may be coming to a screeching halt.

Spokeswoman Tracy Noble of AAA/Mid-Atlantic said although New Jersey prices are still in the $2.30s, the pump price may rise along with the cost of crude, which has now surpassed $50 dollars per barrel on world markets.

"We typically tend to see gas prices increase, which then, of course, translates to more pain at the pump," Noble said.

There was a slight increase over the weekend -- just a cent, on average to $2.34 per gallon.

Noble said one moderating factor is that post-holiday demand is low. And that is because most of us are simply driving less than we did for the holiday season.

She said AAA is in a "wait and see" mode.

"We are not expecting any drastic changes in the near future, but as we have seen, time and time again, prices always do increase quicker than they decrease," Noble said.