A double-digit spike in Southern California gas prices has brought them near the highest point reached last year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is $4.196 a gallon for regular today, 12.7 cents more than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.303 per gallon, which is 15.2 cents more than last week, 26 cents higher than last month, and 30 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.270, which is 14.8 cents above last week, 27 cents higher than last month, and 29 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.282, up 13.2 cents from last week, 24 cents higher than a month ago, and 20 cents more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $4.258, up 15.7 cents from last week, 26 cents more than last month, and 28 cents more than last year.
“Local gas prices are now 70 cents a gallon higher than at the end of January,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “But there are signs of relief – wholesale prices dropped back down by 20 cents as of Wednesday, and local pump prices seem to be staying steady in the last couple of days.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on April 17, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
One-week change
|
Record Price
|
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$4.303 |
+15.2 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$4.298 |
+16.4 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$4.270 |
+14.8 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$4.282 |
+13.2 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
|
|
|
|
Riverside – San Bernardino |
$4.258 |
+15.7 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
Ventura |
$4.282 |
+14.2 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |