The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped for the ninth consecutive day Saturday, falling 1.6 cents to $6.35.
The streak follows a 44-day streak of increases totaling 79.7 cents that brought the average price within 5.4 cents of its record high. The average price is 7.4 cents less than one week ago, but 40.6 cents more than one month ago and $1.629 more than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
It has dropped 8.9 cents over the past nine days, including 1.5 cents Friday. The average price has increased $1.656 since the start of the joint U.S./Israel war on Iran on Feb. 28, which sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump.
The record average price is $6.493 set Oct. 5, 2022.
The Orange County average price also dropped for the ninth consecutive day, falling 1.5 cents to $6.29. It has dropped 11.5 cents over the past nine days, including 1.8 cents Friday. The 10-day streak follows a run of 42 increases 44 days that pushed it within 5.3 cents of its record high.
The Orange County average price is 9.5 cents less than one week ago, but 36.7 cents more than one month ago and $1.594 more than one year ago. It has increased $1.654 since the start of the war on Iran.
Its record average price is $6.458 set Oct. 5, 2022.
The dropping prices are the result of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that cheaper winter-blend gasoline would be allowed to be sold immediately instead of the customary Nov. 1 date.
“According to Oil Price Information Service, Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices have plummeted in the last week after the early switch to winter blend and West Coast refiners have ramped up their production, so that could mean more significant pump price decreases in coming days,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, said in a statement released Thursday.
The national average price dropped a half-cent to $4.366, its 13th decrease in the last 15 days. It is 1.4 cents less than one week ago, but 8.9 cents more than one month ago and $1.266 more than one year ago. It has increased $1.384 since the attack on Iran.
The national average price remains the highest it’s ever been for this time of year.