Gas prices in car-loving Los Angeles are on the rise, again

Gasoline prices in Los Angeles County are on the rise again, and have been slowly rising since late December — and experts aren’t hoping the trend will reverse anytime soon, according to the American Automobile Assn.

In Los Angeles, the average price for a standard gallon hit $4.56 Monday, with gas prices either rising or flat since Dec. 23, according to Doug Shupe, a spokesman for Southern California AAA. He said prices bottomed at $4.43 the day before Christmas Eve and have not fallen since.

“It’s trending up,” Shupe said. Nationwide, the median price rose to $4.55 a gallon Monday, up 11 cents from a week ago and 16 cents from a month ago, according to AAA data.

The increases follow a national trend of rising pump prices, primarily due to rising crude oil prices and emerging demand for gasoline. But Shupe said prices are likely to keep rising in California as the state makes its upcoming April 1 switch to pricier summer blend fuel. In addition, he said many refineries will begin regular spring maintenance and more people are expected to take to the streets for warm-weather trips or adventures.

“Prices are likely to increase in the coming weeks,” Shupe said in a statement. “We encourage drivers to continue to conserve fuel and look for the lowest available gas prices.”

According to AAA, the price of a gallon of gasoline nationwide hit $3,508 on Monday, more than 30 cents more than a month ago. While California hasn’t seen any drastic increases in recent weeks, the Golden State’s average gas prices remain among the highest in the nation, behind only Hawaii.

Throughout 2022, Los Angeles County set new records for gas prices multiple times. Prices remained nearly $2 below the last record high of $6.49 set in October, according to AAA on Monday.