Southern California Gas Prices Continue Nose Dive
17 January 2001
Southern California Gas Prices Continue Nose Dive
LOS ANGELES--Jan. 16, 2001--Southern California gas prices dipped significantly in the last month, continuing their four-month downward trend, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Fuel Gauge report.The Southern California average price for regular unleaded fuel is $1.60, a 10-cent decline from last month's $1.70 average price. The lowest average price is in La Habra, at $1.40 a gallon, and the highest Southern California price is in Bishop, with an average of $1.80 a gallon. Northern California's prices are higher, although they also have dropped about 10 cents a gallon since last month.
The average is $1.86 in San Francisco, $1.77 in San Jose and $1.66 in Sacramento.
Nationally, gas prices have risen slightly. The national average for regular unleaded is $1.473, up .4 cents from $1.469 on Dec. 16, and 18.3 cents higher per gallon than last year.
Prices have continued downward in California at least in part because of reformulated gasoline regulations. California gasoline uses different additives in the winter to reduce its volatility in colder temperatures, and that "winter blend" must be switched out of gasoline supplies in February. Analysts say the lower prices are an effort to unload the winter-blend gasoline by next month.
Once that trend ends, Southern California prices may be headed upward again. OPEC nations have indicated that they may decide on Wednesday to cut crude oil production, which will likely drive prices back up. Crude oil prices had sunk as low as $26 per barrel, but now have rebounded and are approaching $28 per barrel.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
Unl Pre
Imperial County
El Centro 1.685 1.824
Inyo County
Bishop 1.799 1.986
Kern County
Bakersfield 1.599 1.999
Ridgecrest 1.759 1.776
Los Angeles County
Alhambra 1.499 1.734
Arcadia 1.534 1.759
Burbank 1.537 1.751
Culver City 1.572 1.692
Glendale 1.511 1.619
Glendora 1.459 1.559
Inglewood 1.547 1.679
Lancaster 1.559 1.769
Long Beach 1.522 1.714
Los Angeles 1.545 1.693
Manhattan Beach 1.579 1.842
Montebello 1.544 1.719
Santa Monica 1.547 1.686
Van Nuys 1.533 1.677
Whittier 1.494 1.699
Woodland Hills 1.542 1.751
Orange County
Anaheim 1.521 1.706
Fullerton 1.499 1.726
Huntington Bch 1.467 1.579
La Habra 1.404 1.579
Laguna Beach 1.599 1.782
Newport Beach 1.606 1.879
San Clemente 1.687 1.919
Tustin 1.549 1.679
Riverside County
Blythe 1.781 1.939
Hemet 1.539 1.719
Palm Springs 1.642 1.795
Riverside 1.511 1.632
San Bernardino County
Redlands 1.538 1.674
San Bernardino 1.544 1.749
Victorville 1.551 1.724
San Diego County
Chula Vista 1.702 1.894
Del Mar 1.741 1.924
Escondido 1.723 1.909
Oceanside 1.738 1.879
San Diego 1.729 1.901
San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo 1.669 1.929
Santa Barbara County
Lompoc 1.659 1.829
Santa Barbara 1.798 1.906
Santa Maria 1.674 1.799
Tulare County
Porterville 1.624 1.854
Visalia 1.592 1.779
Ventura County
Ventura 1.679 1.836
Southern Cal. Avg. 1.599 1.775
