Gas pump
Gas pump. Photo credit: Alexander Nguyen

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded its largest one-day decrease since at least 2019 Wednesday, dropping 4.3 cents to $6.253, its seventh consecutive decrease after rising to a record.

The average price has dropped 18.2 cents over the past seven days, including 4.2 cents Tuesday, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. The decreases follow a run of 32 increases in 33 days totaling $1.213.

The average price is 18.2 cents less than one week ago but 90.5 cents more than one month ago and $1.863 higher than one year ago.

“Gas prices in California are finally cooling off, as more refineries come back online after undergoing maintenance and the switch to cheaper winter blends takes effect,” said Andrew Gross, an AAA national public relations manager.

The national average price dropped one-tenth of a cent to $3.922. It ended a streak of increases in 20 of the past 21 days, including four-tenths of a cent on Tuesday. It rose for 11 consecutive days, dropped four-tenths of a cent Oct. 2 and resumed increasing Oct. 3.

The national average price is 9.1 cents more than one week ago, 20.6 cents higher than one month ago and 64.3 cents greater than one year ago.

The national average price is $1.092 less than the record $5.016 set June 14.

The run of increases follows a 98-day streak of decreases totaling $1.342 that began the day after the record was set.

“High West Coast prices have played a major role in the recent climb in the national average for gas,” Gross said. “Reversing this trend may help take some pressure off of pump prices.”

— City News Service