Gas prices reversed course and have dropped slightly over the past week in most areas of Southern California, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.81, which is three cents lower than a week ago and 16 cents higher than a year ago today. The average national price is $3.12, which is four cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.76 per gallon, which is two cents less than last week and four cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.77, which is two cents less than last week and four cents lower than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.73, which is the same as last week and three cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.63, which is three cents lower than last week and five cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.66 average price is the same as last week and six cents higher than a year ago today.
“Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reports that Energy Information Administration and California Energy Commission data shows the state’s inventories and imports of gasoline have increased in the past week,” said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. “OPIS also reported that the HF Sinclair refinery in Anacortes, WA has announced it will begin refining California-blend gasoline as early as next month.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Feb. 27, averages are:
