Automobile Club of Southern California : Gas Prices Up, Could Start 2017 Trend

Local gas prices have jumped by about a penny a day in the last week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail state average is $2.777 a gallon for regular today, 6.2 cents more than last Thursday.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.84 per gallon, which is 6.9 cents higher than last week, 11 cents higher than last month, and 23 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $2.821, which is 5.8 cents higher than last week, nine cents higher than last month, and 24 cents less than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.852, 7.9 cents more than last week, 12 cents higher than a month ago, and 17 cents lower than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $2.786, seven cents more than last week, ten cents more than this time last month, and 24 cents less than last year.

'Some oil industry analysts are projecting an overall jump in prices in 2017, and this could represent the start of that trend for California,' said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. 'Oil prices are now at a nearly one-year high, affecting production costs. Also, analysts expect the Southern California refinery maintenance season to begin later this month, which could keep upward pressure on pump prices.'

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Jan. 5, averages are:

Area	Regular	1-week change	2016 YTD Avg
Los Angeles - Long Beach	$2.840	+6.9 cents	$2.797
Orange County	$2.841	+6.8 cents	$2.781
San Diego	$2.821	+5.8 cents	$2.774
Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Lompoc	$2.852	+7.9 cents	$2.796
Riverside - San Bernardino	$2.786	+7.0 cents	$2.747
Ventura	$2.808	+6.4 cents	$2.779
Bakersfield	$2.754	+6.7 cents	$2.71