Southern California Gas Prices Rise Fourth Day Amid National Decline

Gasoline prices in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties, have risen for multiple consecutive days after a period of declines, with Los Angeles prices reaching $4.788 per gallon and Riverside at $4.645. These recent increases follow concerns about refinery supply disruptions, notably a fire at the Valero refinery in Northern California, which, although not directly supplying Southern California, could cause wider price impacts if outages persist. Nationally, the average gas price has generally trended downward, dipping slightly below $3.14 per gallon, despite some regional increases such as New York, where prices rose modestly to $3.05 per gallon. Analysts note that OPEC+ plans to increase oil production starting in June, which, along with expected refinery maintenance completion, could lead to higher gasoline supply and potentially lower prices soon. California continues to have some of the highest average gas prices in the country, while states like Mississippi and Louisiana maintain the lowest. Overall, prices remain significantly lower than their peaks in 2022, with Southern California prices having dropped by over $1.70 per gallon since last fall.