People who have gone to pump gas in Southern California recently may have noticed a bump in prices.
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose Saturday for the 25th consecutive day, increasing 1.4 cents to $3.79 — its highest amount since Dec. 4, 2019, according to Jeffrey Spring, spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, an affiliate of the AAA.
According to the AAA, the average price of gas in L.A. County has increased 44.2 cents in the past 46 days, including seven-tenths of a cent on Friday. Average gas prices are 5.4 cents more than one week ago and 25.8 cents greater than one year ago.
Meanwhile, in Orange County, average gas prices rose for the 26th consecutive day, increasing 2.2 cents to $3.778 — its highest amount since Nov. 30, 2019. It has increased 55.4 cents in the last 60 days, including six-tenths of a cent on Friday. Orange County’s average gas price is 5.4 cents more than one week ago and 29.3 cents greater than one year ago.
Gasoline prices in California reached a 14-month high in the week ending March 1, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A gallon of regular gas cost an average of $3.56, up 11 cents in seven days and 92 cents higher than the pandemic low of $2.64 last May.
Since Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by two cents to $2.74. Rising crude prices, tightening gas supplies, and increased gas demand have contributed to drivers seeing higher prices at the pump, according to the AAA.
Total domestic gas stocks decreased nationwide as demand increased over the past week, data from the EIA shows.
“If these trends continue alongside higher crude prices, drivers can expect incremental price increases — of at least nickel — at their local gas stations in March,” the AAA said in a statement Thursday.