Auto Club: Gas Price Average Returns to February Mark
LOS ANGELES--March 14, 2006--The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Southern California has climbed back to where it was a month ago and is still going up, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report. In the past three months, prices have climbed nearly 34 cents due to speculation over international oil production.The Southern California March average price for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.626, which is nearly even with the Feb. 14, 2006 price of $2.628.
"In February, gas prices were on the rise, but by the end of the month they were falling as refiners sold off remaining winter grade fuel so they could prepare to sell summer grade fuel starting March 1," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Since then we have seen a gradual increase until prices are now equal to a month ago. We expect prices to continue higher during the spring, but the rate of increase depends on the amount of speculation that occurs."
Statewide, the average price for March is $2.573, up about a penny compared to February. The all-time record high of $3.054 was set on Sept. 9, 2005. The lowest average price in the state is in Pleasanton, where regular is selling for $2.417. Blythe reports the state's highest average price at $2.838.
Nationally, the average price is $2.363, up from $2.292 in February. The state with the highest gas price average is Hawaii at $2.863. South Carolina has the lowest average at $2.220.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City Reg 3-14 Reg 2-14 Pre 3-14 Pre 2-14 Imperial County El Centro 2.706 2.728 2.840 2.911 Inyo County Bishop 2.677 2.699 2.847 2.855 Kern County Bakersfield 2.563 2.600 2.727 2.793 Ridgecrest 2.591 2.584 2.636 2.688 Los Angeles County Alhambra 2.591 2.581 2.755 2.729 Arcadia 2.627 2.615 2.843 2.826 Burbank 2.616 2.588 2.762 2.819 Culver City 2.645 2.687 2.827 2.888 Glendale 2.624 2.577 2.804 2.759 Glendora 2.564 2.567 2.639 2.765 Inglewood 2.561 2.572 2.794 2.789 Lancaster 2.606 2.641 2.721 2.811 Long Beach 2.593 2.596 2.740 2.777 Los Angeles 2.637 2.631 2.787 2.799 Manhattan Beach 2.681 2.639 2.851 2.839 Montebello 2.595 2.589 2.499 2.767 Santa Clarita 2.593 2.576 2.759 2.786 Santa Monica 2.715 2.641 2.746 2.811 Van Nuys 2.569 2.567 2.676 2.744 Whittier 2.532 2.550 2.581 2.733 Woodland Hills 2.644 2.632 2.859 2.832 Orange County Anaheim 2.514 2.514 2.646 2.666 Fullerton 2.493 2.502 2.666 2.655 Huntington Beach 2.512 2.528 2.667 2.739 La Habra 2.473 2.462 2.571 2.666 Laguna Beach 2.713 2.669 2.959 2.889 Newport Beach 2.667 2.654 2.939 2.877 San Clemente 2.694 2.677 2.891 2.866 Tustin 2.634 2.610 2.866 2.802 Riverside County Blythe 2.838 2.838 3.019 3.033 Hemet 2.634 2.655 2.657 2.811 Palm Springs 2.694 2.704 2.899 2.939 Riverside 2.609 2.607 2.783 2.776 San Bernardino County Redlands 2.598 2.606 2.773 2.799 San Bernardino 2.628 2.616 2.773 2.789 Victorville 2.673 2.692 2.693 2.856 San Diego County Chula Vista 2.590 2.599 2.796 3.788 Del Mar 2.760 2.759 2.986 2.911 Escondido 2.544 2.543 2.754 2.733 Oceanside 2.631 2.616 2.856 2.810 San Diego 2.629 2.639 2.809 2.848 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 2.707 2.694 2.859 2.888 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.668 2.758 2.818 2.959 Santa Barbara 2.730 2.798 2.965 2.977 Santa Maria 2.715 2.735 2.746 2.911 Tulare County Porterville 2.588 2.612 2.559 2.819 Visalia 2.583 2.610 2.703 2.789 Ventura County Ventura 2.581 2.609 2.614 2.787 So. Calif. Avg. 2.626 2.628 2.770 2.835
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data. Editors, for regional average daily fuel prices nationwide, please go to www.fuelgaugereport.com.