Most Local Averages Now Under $3

Southern California gas prices dropped like a rock in the last week, bringing almost all major city average prices under $3 a gallon, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.934 a gallon for regular today, 9.6 cents less than last week.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.968 per gallon, which is 10.2 cents less than last week, 27.5 cents less than last month, and 68 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $2.935, which is 9.5 cents less than last week, 29 cents lower than last month, and 70 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.001, 8.8 cents less than last week, 27 cents lower than a month ago, and 67 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.934, down 9.1 cents from last week, 26 cents less than last month, and 68 cents less than last year.

“As oil prices continue to fall worldwide and locally, refineries appear to be maximizing their production, leading to plentiful supply at a low-demand time of year,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Local prices are nearly 70 cents below this time last year, which means the average driver filling up a 14-gallon tank is paying nearly $10 less than last December. This is providing more money for consumers to spend on holiday shopping and holiday travel.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Dec. 11, averages are: