SoCal Gas Prices Fall for 30th Straight Day

Gas prices in Los Angeles County fell for the 30th consecutive day as of Sunday.

The average cost for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline dropped by six-tenths of a cent to reach $5.977. This latest decline was part of a 31-day stretch in which prices fell by a total of 46.2 cents. The figures come from data provided by the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

The downward trend followed a long period of rising costs. Prior to the recent drops, prices had increased for 44 straight days. That streak pushed the average within 5.4 cents of the all-time high of $6.493, which was recorded on Oct. 5, 2022.

Compared to one week ago, the current average is 12.1 cents lower. Against the price from one month ago, it is 46.2 cents cheaper. However, drivers are still paying $1.23 more per gallon than they did a year ago. Since the start of the joint U.S. and Israel war on Iran on Feb. 28, the average price has climbed by $1.283. The conflict sent oil prices higher and sped up increases at the pump.

In Orange County, the price movement reversed direction. The average price rose by two-tenths of a cent to $5.866 on Sunday. This increase ended a run of 30 consecutive days of price drops. During that previous streak, prices fell by 54.1 cents, including a 1.4 cent drop on Saturday. Before that decline began, the county had seen 42 increases over 44 days, bringing the price close to its record high of $6.458 from Oct. 5, 2022.

The Orange County average is currently 11.5 cents lower than it was a week ago and 53.9 cents lower than a month ago. It remains $1.157 higher than the price from one year prior. Since the war in Iran began, the county average has increased by $1.23.

The recent drop in Southern California prices started four days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Sept. 28 that cheaper winter-blend gasoline could be sold immediately. This move bypassed the customary Nov. 1 start date. Nationally, the average gas price fell for the eighth day in a row, dropping 1 cent to $4.173. The national average is $1.135 higher than it was a year ago and $1.191 higher than before the attack on Iran.