Southern California Gas Prices Tumble as Other Regions Climb Again
LOS ANGELES--Aug. 14, 2001--Southern California and statewide gasoline prices posted double-digit decreases for the second straight month, while Midwestern states saw prices begin climbing again in response to increased demand, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge report.The Southern California average price for regular unleaded gas is $1.62, down 22 cents from July and 39 cents in the last two months. Statewide, the average gas price is slightly higher at $1.63. Even with the recent dramatic drops, California is the third most expensive state to buy gasoline, behind Alaska and Hawaii.
"California's gas prices lagged behind other states in reductions from record highs set in May and June across the country," said Steve Mazor, the Auto Club's principal automotive engineer. "Increased demand and crude oil costs have started to raise prices in other regions, indicating that Southern California may be nearing the end of this gas price decline."
The lowest California gas prices can be found in Fresno, where prices dropped 35 cents in the last month to an average of $1.25 a gallon. The highest prices statewide are in San Francisco, with an average price of $1.86. Southern California's lowest prices can be found in Victorville, where average prices are $1.41 a gallon. In Las Vegas, prices are averaging $1.39 a gallon.
Nationally, the average price for regular unleaded is hovering just under $1.40 and has not been that low since February 2000.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
Unl Pre Imperial County EL CENTRO 1.758 1.939 Inyo County BISHOP 1.597 1.724 Kern County BAKERSFIELD 1.433 1.612 Los Angeles County ALHAMBRA 1.577 1.745 ARCADIA 1.625 1.614 BURBANK 1.602 1.697 CULVER CITY 1.694 1.599 GLENDALE 1.588 1.740 GLENDORA 1.603 1.849 INGLEWOOD 1.607 1.759 LANCASTER 1.455 1.639 LONG BEACH 1.615 1.719 LOS ANGELES 1.625 1.812 MANHATTAN BEACH 1.639 1.704 MONTEBELLO 1.640 1.826 SANTA CLARITA 1.429 1.569 SANTA MONICA 1.629 1.804 VAN NUYS 1.547 1.629 WHITTIER 1.623 1.822 WOODLAND HILLS 1.591 1.789 Orange County ANAHEIM 1.586 1.793 FULLERTON 1.742 1.864 HUNTINGTON BEACH 1.586 1.775 LA HABRA 1.529 1.709 LAGUNA BEACH 1.789 1.962 NEWPORT BEACH 1.702 1.899 SAN CLEMENTE 1.725 1.901 Riverside County BLYTHE 1.749 1.949 HEMET 1.564 1.758 PALM SPRINGS 1.606 1.814 RIVERSIDE 1.558 1.643 San Bernardino County REDLANDS 1.629 1.824 SAN BERNARDINO 1.578 1.747 VICTORVILLE 1.413 1.579 San Diego County CHULA VISTA 1.701 1.929 DEL MAR 1.727 1.939 ESCONDIDO 1.682 1.815 OCEANSIDE 1.723 2.049 SAN DIEGO 1.724 1.912 San Luis Obispo County SAN LUIS OBISPO 1.683 1.824 Santa Barbara County LOMPOC 1.767 1.987 SANTA BARBARA 1.669 1.969 SANTA MARIA 1.690 1.884 Tulare County PORTERVILLE 1.508 1.699 VISALIA 1.306 1.530 Ventura County VENTURA 1.608 1.823 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AVERAGE 1.618 1.786