Southern California gas prices are now almost at their lowest point of 2012 after nine straight weeks of gas drops, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is now at its lowest point of the year at $3.600 a gallon for regular today – 7.8 cents lower than last week and $1.07 lower than the $4.671 new record price set on Oct. 9. On Jan. 1, 2012, the average California price was $3.625.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.666 per gallon, which is 7.5 cents less than last week, 23 cents lower than last month, and 7 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.652, 6.9 cents below last week, 21 cents below last month, and 7 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.711, down 7.3 cents from last week, 27 cents lower than a month ago, and 7 cents above last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $3.630, down 7.3 cents from last week, 21 cents lower than last month, and 6 cents more than last year.
“On Jan. 1, the Los Angeles-Long Beach gas price average was at its low point of $3.65 a gallon, and we should see the current average drop even lower than that in the next couple of days,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “We encourage drivers to continue to shop around for the lowest prices. That encourages competition and helps the prices drop faster.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Dec. 13, averages are:
Area | Regular | One-week change | Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach | $3.666 | -7.5 cents | $4.705 (10/9/12) |
Orange County | $3.633 | -7.2 cents | $4.690 (10/8/12) |
San Diego | $3.652 | -6.9 cents | $4.725 (10/8/12) |
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc | $3.711 | -7.3 cents | $4.709 (6/21/08) |
Riverside – San Bernardino | $3.630 | -7.3 cents | $4.688 (10/8/12) |
Bakersfield | $3.655 | -9.3 cents | $4.648 (10/9/12) |
Ventura | $3.673 | -6.3 cents | $4.689 (10/7/2012) |