Auto Club: Prices Down As Stations Sell Off Winter Supply

Southern California gas prices are likely experiencing their final declines of the winter as stations sell off the ‘winter blend’ of gasoline to make way for the more expensive ‘summer blend,’ according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.22 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is four cents lower than last week.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.26 per gallon, which is four cents lower than last week, 13 cents lower than last month, and 17 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.22, which is four cents lower than last Thursday, 12 cents lower than last month, and 17 cents lower than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.28, which is four cents lower than last week, 14 cents lower than last month, and nine cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.16, which is three cents lower than last week, 11 cents lower than last month, and 20 cents lower than last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.21 average price is three cents lower than last week, 12 cents lower than last month, and 16 cents lower than a year ago today.

“Oil Price Information Service reports that the state’s summer blend of gasoline, which is required to be sold in most Southern California stations from April until November due to air quality regulations, began entering the area’s major supply pipelines on Wednesday,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Summer blend gasoline increases pump prices by about 12 cents a gallon, but it appears that many gasoline companies still have plenty of winter blend supply to sell off and are continuing to reduce prices as a result.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Jan. 31, averages are: