(LOS ANGELES, September 13, 2005) — Southern Californians may be seeing some relief at the pump as average gas prices throughout the area began to drop from record highs set last week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report.
The Southern California September average price for regular self-serve gasoline, which in many areas peaked above $3.06 per gallon, is $3.031 — a new monthly record. This compares to an August 17 average of $2.774 — a 25.7-cent difference. The new record also exceeds the September 2004 average by more than $1.088.
"Hurricane Katrina and oil refinery outages in Northern California both contributed to unprecedented increases in oil and gasoline prices throughout the nation because they impacted supply lines and production levels," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "As more production facilities get repaired and as demand for gasoline declines during the fall, we should expect to see gas prices decline further."
Statewide, the average price for September is $3.029, up from $2.773 in August, but down from the record of $3.054 set on Sept. 9. The lowest average price in California is in La Habra, where regular is selling for $2.873. Yreka reported the state's highest average price at $3.300.
Nationally, the average price is $2.956, up from $2.564 in August. The least expensive gasoline in the country is found in Jackson, Mississippi, where the average gas price is $2.57. The highest average price for gas in the United States in Wailuku, Hawaii, where a gallon of regular unleaded sells for $3.52.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City | Reg 9-13 | Reg 8-17 | Pre. 9-13 | Pre. 8-17 | |
Imperial County | |||||
El Centro | 3.203 | 2.808 | 3.399 | 2.959 | |
Inyo County | |||||
Bishop | 3.199 | 2.817 | 3.325 | 2.943 | |
Kern County | |||||
Bakersfield | 3.124 | 2.723 | 3.336 | 2.949 | |
Ridgecrest | 3.199 | 2.859 | 3.154 | 2.719 | |
Los Angeles County | |||||
Alhambra | 2.924 | 2.684 | 3.039 | 2.799 | |
Arcadia | 2.990 | 2.765 | 3.229 | 2.968 | |
Burbank | 3.000 | 2.761 | 2.257 | 2.863 | |
Culver City | 3.089 | 2.822 | 3.542 | 2.999 | |
Glendale | 2.991 | 2.767 | 3.167 | 2.999 | |
Glendora | 2.963 | 2.692 | 3.149 | 2.960 | |
Inglewood | 2.977 | 2.753 | 3.159 | 2.832 | |
Lancaster | 3.060 | 2.744 | 3.249 | 2.949 | |
Long Beach | 2.967 | 2.720 | 3.120 | 2.896 | |
Los Angeles | 3.015 | 2.788 | 3.143 | 2.907 | |
Manhattan Beach | 2.942 | 2.749 | 3.079 | 2.894 | |
Montebello | 2.992 | 2.779 | 2.949 | 2.679 | |
Santa Clarita | 3.006 | 2.799 | 3.166 | 2.959 | |
Santa Monica | 3.063 | 2.861 | 3.359 | 3.199 | |
Van Nuys | 2.936 | 2.675 | 3.076 | 2.834 | |
Whittier | 2.940 | 2.703 | 2.977 | 2.730 | |
Woodland Hills | 2.998 | 2.789 | 3.215 | 2.992 | |
Orange County | |||||
Anaheim | 2.904 | 2.697 | 3.008 | 2.789 | |
Fullerton | 2.907 | 2.674 | 3.082 | 2.799 | |
Huntington Beach | 2.951 | 2.719 | 3.146 | 2.919 | |
La Habra | 2.873 | 2.651 | 3.091 | 2.869 | |
Laguna Beach | 3.066 | 2.835 | 3.319 | 2.979 | |
Newport Beach | 3.052 | 2.826 | 3.259 | 3.030 | |
San Clemente | 3.038 | 2.824 | 3.212 | 2.989 | |
Tustin | 3.002 | 2.772 | 3.189 | 2.959 | |
Riverside County | |||||
Blythe | 3.179 | 2.939 | 3.254 | 2.889 | |
Hemet | 2.999 | 2.785 | 2.959 | 2.939 | |
Palm Springs | 3.072 | 2.866 | 3.259 | 2.998 | |
Riverside | 2.954 | 2.703 | 3.122 | 2.842 | |
San Bernardino County | |||||
Redlands | 2.942 | 2.672 | 3.179 | 2.875 | |
San Bernardino | 3.005 | 2.732 | 2.897 | 2.774 | |
Victorville | 3.070 | 2.831 | 3.081 | 2.849 | |
San Diego County | |||||
Chula Vista | 3.016 | 2.785 | 3.316 | 2.974 | |
Del Mar | 3.052 | 2.824 | 3.199 | 2.999 | |
Escondido | 3.012 | 2.717 | 3.229 | 2.917 | |
Oceanside | 3.069 | 2.788 | 3.319 | 3.009 | |
San Diego | 3.042 | 2.807 | 3.243 | 3.006 | |
San Luis Obispo County | |||||
San Luis Obispo | 3.061 | 2.873 | 3.386 | 3.049 | |
Santa Barbara County | |||||
Lompoc | 3.084 | 2.843 | 3.279 | 2.992 | |
Santa Barbara | 3.113 | 2.854 | 3.079 | 2.912 | |
Santa Maria | 3.097 | 2.844 | 3.259 | 3.039 | |
Tulare County | |||||
Porterville | 3.199 | 2.726 | 3.290 | 2.817 | |
Visalia | 3.175 | 2.761 | 3.299 | 2.999 | |
Ventura County | |||||
Ventura | 2.964 | 2.747 | 3.012 | 2.864 | |
So. Calif. Avg. | 3.031 | 2.774 | 3.189 | 2.919 |
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service — the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data. Editors, for regional average daily fuel prices nationwide, please go to www.fuelgaugereport.com.
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