The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose for the 10th consecutive day Sunday, inching up two-tenths of a cent to $4.683.
The streak of rising prices began one day after the end of an 20-day streak of decreases that dropped the average price to its lowest amount since Jan. 24, 2023, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
The average price is 11.1 cents more than one week ago, 7.4 cents less than one month ago, and 4.2 cents more than one month ago. It has dropped $1.811 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The Orange County average price remained unchanged at $4.622, ending a streak of nine consecutive increases. It is 11.9 cents more than one week ago, 3.6 cents less than one month ago, and 3.3 cents more than one year ago. It has dropped $1.837 since rising to a record $6.459 on Oct. 5, 2022.
“The Kinder Morgan gasoline pipeline servicing Southern California on Wednesday began shipping the more expensive summer blend of gasoline, which is required to be sold in most local areas as of April 1,” said Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager.
“The switch generally increases costs at the pump, and additional increases typically occur in February through May if there are supply shortages caused by planned or unplanned local refinery outages as they undergo annual maintenance.”
The national average price dipped three-tenths of a cent to $3.147. It is 4.4 cents more than one week ago and 5.7 cents more than one month ago, but 33.5 cents less than one year ago. The national average has dropped $1.869 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
“We are in that time of year where pump prices begin to heat up, usually peaking around July,” said Andrew Gross, an AAA national public relations manager. “But unless something shocks the global oil market and causes prices to spike, the national average for a gallon of gas will probably stagger higher, with some flat days or even small price dips along the way.”