The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County was unchanged Tuesday at $4.76. It has decreased 78 times in 80 days totaling $1.587.
An increase of a half-cent Monday pushed the average price to $4.76, erasing the previous high to start a year of $4.683 set in 2022, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
The average price has risen nine times in 11 days, increasing 7 cents, including two-tenths of a cent Sunday. The run of rising prices began five days after the run of decreases ended Dec. 18 when the average price was unchanged.
The average price is 4.4 cents more than one week ago and 25.8 cents higher than one year ago when it was $4.503, previously the second-highest amount to begin a year. It is 16.2 less than one month ago and has dropped $1.734 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The run of decreases started Sept. 30, two days after Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board directing it to allow refineries to begin making and distributing winter-blend gasoline, which is cheaper to produce. Stations normally cannot start selling winter blend gas until Nov. 1.
The run of decreases followed 23 increases in 25 days totaling 91.8 cents that pushed the average price to its highest amount since Oct. 11, 2022.
The Orange County average price rose three-tenths of a cent to $4.661. It dropped two-tenths of a cent Monday, ending a nine-day streak of increases totaling 12.2 cents, including a half-cent Sunday.
The Orange County average price is 6.4 cents more than one week ago and 22.3 cents higher than one year ago when it was $4.432, previously the second-highest amount to begin a year. However, it was 10 cents less than one month ago.
The Orange County average price has dropped $1.798 from its record high of $6.459 set Oct. 5, 2022.
The national average price dropped for the 10th time in 11 days, decreasing six-tenths of a cent to $3.104.
The national average price is 2.2 cents less than one week ago, 14.3 cents lower than one month ago and 11.2 cents below one year ago. It has decreased $1.912 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.