Southern California gas prices have risen on average about 70 cents a gallon since New Year’s Day, but some wholesale price decreases have eased the upward pressure, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. Today’s retail statewide average is $3.89 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is two cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.93 per gallon, which is one cent higher than last week, 22 cents higher than last month, and 71 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.93, which is two cents higher than last week, 25 cents more than than last month, and 74 cents higher than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.89, which is three cents higher than last week, 25 cents higher than last month, and 58 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.87, which is one cent higher than last week, 24 cents higher than last month, and 77 cents higher than last year. In Bakersfield, the $3.79 average price is three cents higher than last week, 27 cents higher than last month, and 59 cents higher than a year ago today.
“Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices have dropped by more than 20 cents in the past two weeks as supply issues have eased, and the California Energy Commission and OPIS reported that refiners are producing the highest levels of California gasoline since September of last year,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on March 25, averages are: