Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Upward After Brief Pause

Amid mixed signals in the wholesale gasoline market, Southern California gas prices moved up in the last week, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.63, which is three cents higher than last week and 11 cents lower than a year ago today. The average national price is $3.19, which is one cent lower than a week ago and six cents lower than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.69 per gallon, which is five cents higher than last week and eight cents more than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.73, which is four cents higher than last week and three cents higher than the price this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.63, which is one cent higher than last week and seven cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.54, which is six cents more than last week and four cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.55 average price is two cents higher than last week and eight cents lower than a year ago today.

"Oil Price Information Service reports that Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices shot up late last week after some supply fluctuations, but have dropped a bit in recent days, so the upward price trend at the pump may not last," said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe.

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Sept. 11, averages are: