Auto Club: Halloween Treat For Drivers As Gas Prices Drop For Third Week, But Trend May Not Last

Southern California gas prices continued dropping for a third straight week in most areas heading toward Halloween, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.57, which is three cents lower than last week and the same as a year ago today. The average national price is $3.03, which is four cents lower than a week ago and ten cents lower than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.63 per gallon, which is down one cent from last week and ten cents more than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.70, which is one cent lower than last week and ten cents higher than the price this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.58, which is one cent higher than last week and the same as last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.51, which is three cents lower than last week and 11 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.55 average price is one cent lower than last week and four cents higher than a year ago today.

"Southern California gas stations can begin selling the cheaper-to-produce 'winter blend' gasoline on Saturday, which would normally help to further push down pump prices," said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. "However, we have seen price jumps in a couple of areas in the last day in response to higher Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices this week. Oil Price Information Service reports that wholesale prices are up double digits this week due to some planned and unplanned refinery maintenance and stronger futures expectations for gas prices."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 30, averages are: