Auto Club: Gas Prices Skyrocket Past $6 A Gallon In Southern California For First Time Since June

California became the only state with an average gas price above $6 a gallon this week as pump prices also pushed over the $6 benchmark in all major Southern California metropolitan areas, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. Today's statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $6.08, which is 19 cents higher than last week and $1.43 higher than at this time last year. The national average is $4.43, which is 16 cents higher than last week and $1.23 higher than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $6.13 per gallon, which is 19 cents higher than last week and $1.41 higher than a year ago. In San Diego, the average price is $6.15, which is 16 cents more than last week and $1.39 higher than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $6.10, which is 19 cents higher than last week and $1.46 higher than a year ago. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $6.02, 20 cents higher than last week and $1.42 higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $6.01 average is 18 cents higher than last week and $1.43 higher than one year ago.

"Middle East oil supply concerns continue to impact pump prices nationwide and particularly in states like California that import significant amounts of oil from the Middle East," said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. "Oil prices have backed down somewhat from earlier this week, but would need to drop significantly more to affect pump prices locally."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Sept. 17, averages are: