Auto Club: Gas Prices Head Back Down Toward $3 - Slowly

(LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24, 2009) – Southern California gas prices have continued the slight downturn that began just over a week ago, moving down by less than half a cent daily in most areas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.118 per gallon, which is 2.2 cents less than last week, 8.5 cents more than last month, and 55 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.115, which is 3.6 cents less than last week’s price, eight cents above last month, and 56 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.203, down 2.4 cents from last week, eight cents higher than a month ago, and 55 cents below last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $3.101, which is 2.8 cents less than last week, eight cents more than last month, and 56 cents less than last year.

“Barring production problems, we typically start to see a gas price drop-off in September as demand slightly dips from its peak and California begins using the cheaper-to-produce ‘winter’ blend of fuel,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring.

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 1 p.m. on Sept. 24, averages are:

 

Area	Regular	One-week change	Record Price
Los Angeles – Long Beach	$3.118	-2.2 cents	$4.626 (6/21/08)
Orange County	$3.109	-2.3 cents	$4.598 (6/19/08)
San Diego	$3.115	-3.6 cents	$4.630 (6/19/08)
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc	$3.203	-2.4 cents	$4.709 (6/21/08)
Riverside – San  Bernardino	$3.101	-2.8 cents	$4.614 (6/22/08)
Bakersfield	$3.178	-3.2 cents	$4.591 (6/24/08)
Ventura	$3.116	-2.3 cents	$4.625 (6/18/08)