The run of increases to the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County was extended Friday to 36 in 37 days, but barely, rising two-tenths of a cent to $5.96.
The average price has increased $1.341 over the past 37 days, including 1.4 cents on Thursday, to its highest amount since Oct. 9, 2023, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It rose 10 consecutive days, was unchanged March 1 and resumed rising the following day.
The average price is 20.4 cents more than one week ago, $1.268i higher than one month ago and $1.28 greater than one year ago. It is 53.4 cents less than the record $6.494 set on Oct. 5, 2022.
The 56-day streak of increases totaling $1.66 that boosted the Orange County average price to its highest amount since Oct. 6, 2023, ended with a decrease of four-tenths of a cent to $5.899. It is 17.8 cents more than one week ago, $1.266 higher than one month ago and $1.259 greater than one year ago.
The Orange County average price is 56 cents less than the record $6.459 on Oct. 5, 2022.
Prices were rising slightly in line with seasonal norms before the joint U.S./Israel attack on Iran on Feb. 28 sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump.
“Southern California gas prices are following a similar pattern to the spike we saw after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, said in a statement released Thursday.
“Today marks 27 days since the Iran conflict began, and the Los Angeles average gas price has risen by $1.26 a gallon since then. During the same number of days after the Russia-Ukraine war began, the Los Angeles average gas price rose by $1.19 a gallon to an average price of over $6 a gallon.”
The national average price dropped for the second consecutive day following a 25-day streak of increases totaling $1.001 that boosted it to its highest amount since Aug. 11, 2022, decreasing three-tenths of a cent to $3.978.
The national average price is 6.6 cents more than one week ago, 99.6 cents higher than one month ago and 82.3 cents greater than one year ago. It is $1.038 less than the record $5.016 set on June 14, 2022.