The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County recorded its largest increase since Feb. 18 Saturday, rising 2.7 cents to $4.812, its ninth increase in 10 days.
The average price has risen 6 cents over the past 10 days, including six-tenths of a cent Friday, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. It rose five consecutive days, dropped a half-cent Tuesday and resumed increasing Wednesday.
The average price is 4.2 cents more than one week ago, but 2 cents less than one month ago and $1.168 lower than one year ago. It has dropped $1.561 since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5.
Refinery issues are expected to cause an increase of 10 to 20 cents per gallon “over the next week or so,” according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which provides real-time gas price information from more than 150,000 stations.
The national average price rose seven-tenths of a cent Saturday to $3.579, one day after dropping two-tenths of a cent. It has increased three of the past four days, rising 3.6 cents, including 1.8 cents Wednesday, its largest daily increase since the 2.4-cent increase April 13.
The national average price is 3.9 cents more than one week ago, but 5.7 cents less than one month ago and $1.02 lower than one year ago. It has dropped $1.437 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14.