Southern California Gas Prices Soar

Southern California Gas Prices Soar
Gas prices over $5.00 a gallon are displayed at a gas station in San Rafael, Calif., on Sept. 13, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
City News Service
9/17/2023
Updated:
9/17/2023

LOS ANGELES—The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County spiked 13.6 cents on Sept. 17 to $5.867, its highest amount since Oct. 21 of last year.

It’s the biggest one-day increase since Sept. 29.

The average price has risen 51 times in the last 56 days, increasing 89.5 cents, including 8.5 cents Saturday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The price is 35.1 cents more than one week ago, 59.8 cents more than one month ago, and 43.9 cents more than one year ago. It has dropped 62.7 cents since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The Orange County average price ballooned 16.7 cents to $5.87, the largest increase since the record 19.5-cent increase on Oct. 5, 2012. It has risen 49 of the past 55 days, increasing 96.9 cents, including 7.5 cents Saturday, and is at its highest amount since Oct. 18.

The Orange County average price is 38.1 cents more than one week ago, 65.5 cents more than one month ago and 48.1 cents more than one year ago. It has dropped 58.9 cents since rising to a record $6.459 on Oct. 5.

The national average price rose a half-cent to $3.876, its 10th consecutive increase. It is 4.9 cents more than one week ago, one-tenth of a cent more than one month ago, and 19.4 cents more than one year ago.

It has dropped $1.14 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

“Oil costs are putting upward pressure on pump prices, but the rise is tempered by much lower demand,” Andrew Gross, an AAA national public relations manager, said last week.

“The slide in people fueling up is typical, with schools back in session, the days getting shorter, and the weather less pleasant. But the usual decline in pump prices is being stymied for now by these high oil costs.”