Auto Club: Despite Holiday Weekend, Gas Prices Continue Dropping

Refineries are back up and running in Southern California, pushing price averages in many areas below $4 a gallon even as a record number of 5.4 million Memorial Day holiday weekend travelers statewide are making their way out of town, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $4.03 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is two cents lower than last week.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.01 per gallon, which is four cents lower than last week, seven cents lower than last month, and 25 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.99, which is five cents below last Thursday, seven cents below last month, and 24 cents higher than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.09, which is two cents less than last week, one cent lower than last month, and 30 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.96, which is three cents lower than last week, six cents lower than last month, and 26 cents higher than last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.97 average price is four cents lower than last week, six cents lower than last month, and 26 cents higher than a year ago today.

“Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices have plunged by more than 60 cents a gallon from their highest point of the year reached last month, but Southern California average gas prices have only dropped by about 12 cents a gallon,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Consumers should consistently shop around for the lowest gasoline prices so stations will drop their prices faster. As of today in most areas, drivers should be able to find prices that are under $3.70 a gallon for regular unleaded.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 23, averages are: