Southern California drivers reached a dubious milestone this week of paying average gas prices above $3.50 a gallon for 1,000 straight days, but it's possible that streak could end before New Year's Eve if gas price drops continue, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is $3.601 a gallon for regular today – 4.8 cents lower than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.623 per gallon, which is 4.5 cents less than last week, 20 cents lower than last month, and 26 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.636, which is 2.3 cents below last week, 18 cents below last month, and 21 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.659, down 5.4 cents from last week, 23.5 cents lower than a month ago, and 31 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $3.593, down 4 cents from last week, 19 cents lower than last month, and 23.5 cents less than last year.
“On Jan. 1, the Los Angeles/Long Beach price average was $3.618, the San Diego average was $3.621 and the Central Coast average was $3.644, and all those low points for 2013 prices will likely be replaced with even lower price averages in the next few days,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “Most Southern California areas are also within 10 to 15 cents of dipping below $3.50 a gallon price averages, so that is also a possibility to happen before the end of this year provided prices keep dropping at a similar rate."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Nov. 14, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
One-week change
|
Record Price
|
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.623 |
-4.5 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$3.595 |
-4.2 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$3.636 |
-2.3 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.659 |
-5.4 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
|
|
|
|
Riverside – San Bernardino |
$3.593 |
-4.0 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Bakersfield |
$3.637 |
-3.6 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Ventura |
$3.595 |
-4.3 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |