Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Upward Locally But Remain Steady Nationwide

Gas prices climbed for the third straight week in Southern California but held steady nationwide, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. Today's statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $5.64, which is seven cents higher than last week and $1.17 higher than at this time last year. The national average is $4.09, which is the same as last week and 95 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 eight cents higher than last week and $1.24 higher than a year ago. In San Diego, the average price is $5.73, which is nine cents more than last week and $1.19 higher than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.70, which is five cents higher than last week and $1.25 higher than a year ago. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $5.59, ten cents higher than last week and $1.28 higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.65 average is three cents higher than last week and $1.21 higher than one year ago.

"Oil prices remain under $100 a barrel even as conflict has intensified in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz," said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. "It's difficult to know if Southern California prices will follow the national trend and begin to hold steady in coming days, given the volatile situation in the Middle East."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on July 30, averages are: