Gasoline prices typically decline in autumn
The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in California was $3.71 on Friday, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
That’s roughly a four-cent decrease over the last week and a 15-cent plunge from a month ago.
The average price for a gallon of gas also sits 25 cents lower than at this same time last year, according to the report.
Prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro area are a bit higher: about $3.73 a gallon on average. That’s a decrease of 11 cents over the last month and is 25 cents lower than at the same time last year, according to the report.
As of Friday, Santa Clarita Valley drivers were greeted with prices ranging from $3.55 to $3.93 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com, an online price-tracking website.
The local declines are part of a nationwide trend. Gasoline prices typically decline in autumn, and this year they are being pulled even lower by falling global oil prices. By the end of the year, up to 30 states could have an average gasoline price of less than $3 a gallon.
Fall is when refiners are allowed to switch to a cheaper blend of gasoline for the cooler months, and driving demand declines after summer vacations have ended.
