Southern California drivers are feeling the squeeze of high gas prices yet again.
On Monday morning, the price of a regular gallon of gas averaged about $5.92 in the Los Angeles area, according to AAA.
That’s a 5-cent increase from the day before and nearly 40 cents more than a week ago.
For comparison, the national average is $3.88 per gallon.
Prices are high now, but they may be headed for a gradual decline as fall approaches, according to AAA.
What’s keeping them elevated for now is high oil costs, as prices “have jumped several dollars to hover around $90 per barrel,” AAA said.
“Oil costs are putting upward pressure on pump prices, but the rise is tempered by much lower demand,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement. “The slide in people fueling up is typical, with schools back in session, the days getting shorter, and the weather less pleasant. But the usual decline in pump prices is being stymied for now by these high oil costs.”
While prices are elevated, they still have a ways to go before they hit the record highs of a year ago.
On Oct. 5, 2022, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline cost $6.49.