Auto Club: Most Local Gas Price Averages Drop Below $6 And First Few Stations Post Prices Below $5 As Rapid Decreases Continue

Every major Southern California metropolitan area except Bakersfield now has gas price averages below $6 a gallon, and today a few stations posted prices below $5 a gallon as pump prices decreased rapidly for the fifth straight week, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. Today's statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $5.83, which is 11 cents lower than last week and $1.16 higher than at this time last year. The national average is $4.10, which is 12 cents lower than last week and $1.03 higher than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.91 per gallon, which is 10 cents lower than last week and $1.09 higher than a year ago. In San Diego, the average price is $5.94, which is nine cents less than last week and $1.05 higher than this time last year.

In Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, the average price is $5.95, which is nine cents below last week and $1.24 higher than a year ago. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $5.81, 14 cents lower than last week and $1.31 higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $6.01 average is nine cents lower than last week and $1.40 higher than one year ago.

"After rising in the last week of October, oil prices dropped significantly on Wednesday to well below $100 a gallon, their lowest levels since May, and that could put further downward pressure on pump prices if those oil prices stay lower," said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. "Also, wholesale Los Angeles gasoline prices dropped significantly yesterday, which could help to continue the declines at the pump if that trend continues."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Nov. 5, averages are: