The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County dropped Saturday to its lowest amount since Feb. 3, decreasing 1.5 cents to $4.473.
The average price has dropped eight of the past nine days, decreasing 13.2 cents, including 2.5 cents Friday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The run of decreases follows a run of 12 increases in 13 days totaling 8.4 cents.
The average price is 11.3 cents less than one week ago and 16.3 cents lower than one month ago but 10.6 cents more than one year ago. It has dropped $1.90 since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The national average price dropped for the 17th time in 19 days, decreasing three-tenths of a cent to $3.071. It has dropped 5.6 cents over the past 19 days, including three-tenths of a cent Friday. It dropped 14 consecutive days, rose one-tenth of a cent Tuesday, was unchanged Wednesday then resumed dropping Thursday.
The national average price is 1.2 cents less than one week ago, 5 cents lower than one month ago and 21.4 cents below what it was one year ago. It has dropped $1.945 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
“I wouldn’t bet the farm on the national average reaching $3 a gallon, even if we are tantalizingly close,” said Andrew Gross, AAA national public relations manager.
“The mid-winter blahs will likely keep pump prices waffling a few cents up and down for the immediate future. But keep an eye on frigid temps because those can affect refinery production, pushing some regional pump prices higher.”