Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Holding Steady

Southern California gas prices continued in a holding pattern for the second straight week, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.64, which is the same as last week and three cents lower than a year ago today. The average national price is $3.15, which is also the same as a week ago and four cents lower than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.72 per gallon, which is the same as last week and 18 cents more than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.76, the same as last week and 14 cents higher than the price this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.63, which is one cent lower than last week and also one cent lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.60, which is unchanged for a second straight week and 21 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.59 average price is one cent higher than last week and the same as a year ago today.

"Oil prices have dropped domestically and worldwide in recent days, but California refineries this week reported lower production and inventories, according to Oil Price Information Service," said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. "Lower production is to be expected as the refineries switch over to producing winter blend gasoline, which is required to be sold in Southern California at the end of the month."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 2, averages are: