Gas Prices Hit All-Time High Just Before the Holidays
The average price of a gallon of gasoline in California reached $4.696 this week, according to the American Automobile Ass (AAA). That's the highest price ever recorded, though the figure is climbing every day. The national average is now $3.414.
Experts say the steep rise is due to a combination of the COVID recovery, maintenance at refineries, and ongoing supply chain issues. In California, recent rainstorms, cap-and-trade, and low-carbon fuel standards have hiked prices up even further.
Despite the crunch, AAA expects plenty of travelers this Thanksgiving holiday.
“For the vast majority, people are still going to be taking road trips — especially this year — to reconnect with their loved ones," AAA Southern California spokesman Doug Shupe told the Los Angeles Times. "People are so looking forward to getting out there and having that traditional Thanksgiving again with their friends and their family."
But gas prices continue to weigh heavily on American consumers who are already battling the highest inflation rate in 30 years. The holiday shopping season is almost underway.
You can find the average gas prices for your area at AAA’s website. The database shows the following average prices for a gallon of regular gasoline as of Thursday, Nov. 18:
- San Francisco: $4.880
- San Jose: $4.803
- Oakland: $4.792
- Sacramento: $4.718
- Los Angeles-Long Beach: $4.686
- Stockton-Lodi: $4.666
- Orange County: $4.660
- San Diego: $4.648
- Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc: $4.638
- San Bernardino: $4.627
- Fresno: $4.617
- Riverside: $4.613
- Yuba: $4.591
This article was updated to reflect the latest averages from AAA.
