Southern California drivers are paying the highest pump prices for gasoline in 2½ years amid fears that prices could jump even further if the United States takes military action against Syria.
The upswing in prices reflects not only rising crude-oil prices but also a higher state gasoline tax, continued strong demand for fuel and seasonal adjustments at California refineries that typically lift pump prices in the spring.
The average price for regular gasoline in California climbed to $3.522 a gallon as of Monday, its highest mark since August 2015 and a jump of 50 cents a gallon since last fall, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro area, the average price of regular as of Wednesday was $3.579 compared with $3.034 a year earlier, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported.
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