The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County dropped for the 15th consecutive day Saturday, falling 3.7 cents to $5.651.
The average price has dropped 50 cents over the past 15 days, including 3.3 cents Friday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
The streak follows a run of 22 increases in 24 days totaling 86.6 cents. The average price is 21.8 cents less than one week ago, 15.6 cents more than one month ago, and 44.4 cents less than one year ago. It has dropped 72.2 cents since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The decreasing prices stem from Gov. Gavin Newsom sending a letter to the California Air Resources Board on Sept. 28 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 national average price dropped for the 16th consecutive day and 24th time in the last 26 days, falling 1.9 cents to $3.609. It has dropped 27.2 cents over the past 26 days, including 1.8 cents Friday.
The national average price is 11.3 cents less than one week ago, 24.9 cents less than one month ago and 29.4 cents less than one year ago. It has dropped $1.407 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
“As long as this war (in Israel) does not spread to include more countries in the region, the effect on the oil market will remain muted,” said Andrew Gross, an AAA national public relations manager. “Here in the U.S., there are now nine states with some county gas averages below $3 a gallon, and this number will likely increase in the coming weeks.”