Auto Club: Gas Prices Move Up Slightly Ahead Of Holiday Weekend

Gas prices in Southern California moved up slightly ahead of the expected busy holiday travel weekend, but are still well below prices at this time last year, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.62, which is three cents higher than a week ago. The average national price is $3.36, which is two cents lower than a week ago.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.57 per gallon, which is two cents more than last week and 80 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.67, which is two cents higher than last week and 69 cents lower than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.68, which is one cent higher than last week and 60 cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.45, which is one cent higher than last week and 81 cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.59 average price is one cent less than last week and 57 cents lower than a year ago today.

"Last year at this time, the state was at the start of a summer blend supply issue that drove up prices to near-record levels in September and October," said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. "Fortunately, that does not appear to be happening this year as Labor Day travelers fill up for their road trips."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Aug. 29, averages are: