Auto Club: SoCal Gas Prices Back On The Rise After Slight Drops

Southern California gas prices rose over the past week in response to higher oil prices worldwide, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. Today's statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $5.63, which is five cents higher than last week and $1.05 higher than at this time last year. The national average is $4.09, which is one cent lower than last week and 89 cents higher than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.70 per gallon, which is six cents higher than last week and $1.10 higher than a year ago. In San Diego, the average price is $5.74, which is five cents more than last week and $1.07 higher than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.69, which is six cents higher than last week and $1.10 higher than a year ago. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $5.58, five cents higher than last week and $1.13 higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.65 average is one cent higher than last week and $1.15 higher than one year ago.

"Oil prices jumped to over $90 a barrel late last week but have since backed off slightly," said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. "Continued instability in oil supply has kept prices above $4 a gallon nationally all this month, while California, Washington and Hawaii have had average prices above $5 a gallon every day in August."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Aug. 27, averages are: