LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - September 7, 2007) - Gas prices began inching back up again over the holiday weekend after nearly four straight months of price decreases, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.765, which is 3.2 cents higher than last week, 22 cents below last month, and 30 cents under last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.835, which is 3.3 cents above last week's price, 19 cents under last month, and 21 cents cheaper than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.976, up 1.2 cents from last week, 23 cents under last month, and 33 cents below last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.774, 3.6 cents more than last week, 18 cents under last month, and 30 cents cheaper than last year.
"It's too early to say whether this is the end of our price downturn, although we have seen gas prices increase across the country as well as in California," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "We are experiencing a very unusual situation -- most Southern California cities are near or below the national average price for gasoline, which is currently about $2.80 a gallon. In fact, 10 other states have prices over $3 a gallon, and a total of 22 states have gas price averages that are higher than California."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Sept. 7:
One-week
Area Regular Change Record Price
Los Angeles - Long Beach $2.765 + 3.2 cents $3.487 (5/9/2007)
Orange County $2.716 + 2.7 cents $3.479 (5/8/2007)
San Diego $2.835 + 3.3 cents $3.503 (5/8/2007)
Santa Barbara - Santa
Maria - Lompoc $2.976 + 1.2 cents $3.614 (5/15/2007)
Riverside - San
Bernardino $2.774 + 3.6 cents $3.486 (5/8/2007)
Bakersfield $2.799 + 0.8 cent $3.489 (5/7/2007)
Las Vegas, NV $2.711 - 0.8 cent $3.209 (5/29/2007)
Contact Information: Contact: Marie Montgomery Carol Thorp (714) 885-2333