Many Southern California cities saw gas price averages move above $4 a gallon this week as the California Energy Commission reported lower gasoline inventories and increased refinery production, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. Today’s retail statewide average is $3.98 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is four cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.03 per gallon, which is four cents higher than last week, 10 cents higher than last month, and $1.16 higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.02, which is three cents higher than last week, 10 cents more than than last month, and $1.20 higher than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.00, which is four cents higher than last week, 12 cents higher than last month, and $1.06 higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.96, which is four cents higher than last week, nine cents higher than last month, and $1.26 higher than last year. In Bakersfield, the $3.88 average price is four cents higher than last week, 11 cents higher than last month, and $1.23 higher than a year ago today.
“Although gas prices are well over $1 a gallon higher than this time last year in many places, it’s important to bear in mind that is because of the pandemic,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Two years ago on this date, the Los Angeles average gas price was $4.08 a gallon, the San Diego average price was $4.06, and the Santa Barbara average price was $4.10 – even higher than they are today.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on April 22, averages are:
