Six weeks of Southern California gas price drops have brought them to their lowest levels since February and they are now about 25 cents higher than the lowest point of the year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $3.877 a gallon for regular today, 2.3 cents less than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.861 per gallon, which is 2.7 cents less than last week, 20 cents less than last month, and three-tenths of a cent lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.837, which is 3 cents less than last week, 19 cents lower than last month, and 3 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.93, 3.7 cents less than last week, 17 cents lower than a month ago, and 3.5 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $3.829, down 2.5 cents from last week, 21 cents less than last month, and 3 cents less than last year.
“For the last six weeks, local wholesale prices have remained relatively stable, and retail prices are getting close to the point where they won’t drop any further without another dip at the wholesale level,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “In many Southern California cities, there is a gap of as much as 40 cents a gallon between the highest and lowest-priced gas stations. Consumers should shop around so they don’t overpay for fuel.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Aug. 21, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
One-week change |
Record Price |
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.861 |
-2.7 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$3.828 |
-3.4 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$3.837 |
-3.0 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.930 |
-3.7 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
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|
|
|
Riverside – San Bernardino |
$3.829 |
-2.5 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
Ventura |
$3.865 |
-2.4 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |
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|
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|
Bakersfield |
$3.890 |
-2.9 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |