Spring Gas Price Spike Could Stabilize in Coming Days

Southern California gas prices rose for the fifth straight week, but there are a few signs the increases could turn into a plateau in coming days, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.79 a gallon for regular today, 6.3 cents more than last Thursday.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.879 per gallon, which is five cents higher than last week, 34 cents more than last month, and 37 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $2.837, which is 6.7 cents more than last week, 39 cents higher than last month, and 39 cents less than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.874, 7.3 cents more than last week, 46 cents higher than a month ago, and 35 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.83, 5.6 cents higher than last week, 40 cents more than last month, and 38 cents less than last year.

“Wholesale Los Angeles fuel prices have relatively stayed stable for nearly two weeks, and in a few local cities we have seen little or no price increases for a day or two,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “An unexpected incident affecting fuel supply could of course always happen, but for now consumers may see fewer price increases at the pump. And while prices have been climbing, they are still much lower than at this time last year.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on March 31, averages are: