Gas Prices Climb In Southern California, But Increase Could Be Brief

but wholesale declines in recent days could stop further increases at the pump, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.795 a gallon for regular today, 3.8 cents more than last Thursday.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.858 per gallon, which is seven cents higher than last week, 13 cents higher than last month, and 19 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $2.821, which is 5.8 cents higher than last week, 10 cents higher than last month, and 17 cents less than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.845, 5.9 cents more than last week, seven cents higher than a month ago, and 17 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.775, 5.8 cents more than last week, 10 cents more than last month, and 19 cents less than last year.

“Many local refineries plan maintenance in the fall as they stop producing the California summer blend of gasoline and move into producing the cheaper winter blend, which Southern California gas stations can begin selling on Nov. 1,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.  “This can make for unpredictable price shifts at this time. If the decrease in Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices is sustained, we may see this week’s pump increase reversed in coming days.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 6, averages are: