Auto Club: Average Monthly Gas Hits Record High for February
LOS ANGELES--Feb. 17, 2004--The average price of regular gasoline in Southern California surged nearly 20 cents in a month to an all-time February high with more increases likely on the way, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report. An expanding economy combined with lower inventories and reduced production from California refineries in the middle of the routine changeover from winter to summer grade gasoline have propelled gasoline prices higher at a faster pace than in prior years.The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $1.939, up from $1.737 on Jan. 1, 20043, 2004. The previous highest February Fuel Gauge Report price was in 2003 at $1.730.
The lowest average price in Southern California is Porterville, where drivers can pump regular self-serve unleaded gasoline for an average $1.836, and the highest price is in Redlands, where regular goes for an average $2.079. San Francisco Bay-area motorists now pay an average of $1.90, up from $1.71 in January. Nationally, prices are up eight cents since the January AAA survey and now average $1.64 per gallon.
"A springtime gasoline price spike is becoming an annual institution in California," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Production drops as many refineries need to change over from winter to summer formulation gasoline. When inventories are already at low levels, this changeover can cause prices to jump up. In addition, OPEC recently announced a production cut, so some experts are saying that the price increases may last longer this year."
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City Unl Pre Imperial County El Centro 1.932 2.049 Inyo County Bishop 1.926 2.094 Kern County Bakersfield 1.862 2.029 Ridgecrest 1.899 2.067 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.939 1.999 Arcadia 1.915 1.975 Burbank 1.875 2.112 Culver City 1.977 2.089 Glendale 1.887 2.224 Glendora 1.884 2.079 Inglewood 1.938 2.094 Lancaster 1.924 2.119 Long Beach 1.918 2.067 Los Angeles 1.926 2.126 Manhattan Beach 2.004 2.207 Montebello 1.941 2.144 Santa Clarita 1.959 2.119 Santa Monica 1.959 2.289 Van Nuys 1.898 2.034 Whittier 1.910 2.199 Woodland Hills 1.944 2.139 Orange County Anaheim 1.856 2.109 Fullerton 1.870 2.059 Huntington Beach 1.898 2.066 La Habra 1.865 2.059 Laguna Beach 2.019 2.179 Newport Beach 1.975 2.219 San Clemente 1.994 2.109 Tustin 1.930 2.084 Riverside County Blythe 2.020 2.199 Hemet 1.905 2.082 Palm Springs 2.023 2.209 Riverside 1.913 2.096 San Bernardino County Redlands 2.079 2.279 San Bernardino 1.966 2.113 Victorville 1.898 2.045 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.969 2.226 Del Mar 1.999 2.099 Escondido 1.917 2.102 Oceanside 1.975 2.179 San Diego 1.959 2.171 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 1.978 2.229 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 1.979 2.145 Santa Barbara 2.043 2.209 Santa Maria 1.986 2.099 Tulare County Porterville 1.836 1.972 Visalia 1.863 1.999 Ventura County Ventura 1.965 2.146 So. Calif. Avg. 1.939 2.120
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data.
