Southern California gas prices rose for the ninth straight week, and recent reports of tightened supplies mean that trend is likely to continue in the coming weeks, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. Today’s retail statewide average is $3.50 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is three cents higher than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.57 per gallon, which is three cents higher than last week, 23 cents higher than last month, and the same as on this date last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.55, which is four cents higher than last week, 21 cents more than than last month, and one cent less than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.50, which is three cents higher than last week, 17 cents higher than last month, and seven cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.49, which is three cents higher than last week, 21 cents higher than last month, and one cent higher than last year. In Bakersfield, the $3.40 average price is two cents higher than last week, 13 cents higher than last month, and 14 cents lower than a year ago today.
“This week’s ice storms in Texas shut down oil refinery production but that is unlikely to affect prices locally because California receives no oil from Texas,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “However, there are reports of tightening supply from local refineries, and that is likely to drive Southern California prices even higher in coming days.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Feb. 18, averages are:
