As people in the Southland prepare to hit the road ahead of the holidays, it’ll take a little more money to drive to their destinations.
Gas prices have been rising steadily in California in recent weeks, according to AAA. As of Sunday, the statewide average price for regular gas is $4.329 per gallon, which is up from $4.325 one week ago.
That isn’t a sharp increase by any means, especially considering that the price is well short of the average from one year ago, which was $4.576 per gallon. But if broken down by metro area, the price increases reveal themselves to have a Southern California slant.
The current average price for regular gas in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area is $4.391 per gallon, which is up from $4.378 one week ago — good for more than a 10 cent increase. That price is still down from what it was one month ago, however, as it was $4.457.
It’s a similar story in Orange County. As of Sunday the average regular gas price is $4.328, up from $4.295 one week ago.
In Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the increase is more slight, up just $.004 and $.003 respectively from last week.
In addition to a heft travel season for the holidays, AAA attributed a fall in production from the recent hurricane season as a reason for the slight raise.
Drivers shouldn’t panic, however, as AAA said there could be a “period of relative stability” for fuel prices coming soon.
