Gas prices are rapidly dropping both in Southern California and much of the U.S., driven by more record low oil prices and growing inventories, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.717 a gallon for regular today, 9.9 cents less than last Thursday.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.889 per gallon, which is 10.3 cents lower than last week, 2 cents more than last month, and 38 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $2.857, which is 11.2 cents less than last week, 4 cents higher than last month, and 38 cents more than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.83, 11.1 cents less than last week, 7 cents higher than a month ago, and 27 cents more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.857, 11.1 cents lower than last week, 7 cents more than last month, and 40 cents more than last year.
“It’s a bit surprising that Southern California gas prices aren’t falling a lot faster than in the rest of the country, given that there is currently a gap of about $1.70 between Los Angeles wholesale and retail prices when the gap is normally about $1,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “At this time last year, wholesale prices were about 10 cents higher per gallon than they are now, but retail gasoline price averages were 40 cents lower.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Jan. 21, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
One-week change |
Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$2.889 |
-10.3 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
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|
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Orange County |
$2.871 |
-11.2 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
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San Diego |
$2.857 |
-11.2 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
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|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$2.830 |
-11.1 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
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Riverside – San Bernardino |
$2.857 |
-11.1 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
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Ventura |
$2.870 |
-12.4 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |
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Bakersfield |
$2.648 |
-10.0 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |