Average gas prices in much of the Bay Area are higher than ever, according to figures released Monday by AAA, and they might not fall anytime soon.
The cost of a regular, unleaded gallon of gasoline in San Francisco ($4.87, rounded up to the nearest tenth of a cent), San Jose ($4.79), Oakland ($4.78), San Rafael ($4.89) and Santa Rosa ($4.87) was the most expensive recorded by AAA. Napa ($4.86) missed out on the previous record – set only a day prior – by 0.6%.
California set a record, too. The state’s average unleaded price ($4.68) is the highest ever recorded, up 6 cents from last week, over 20 cents per gallon from a month ago and $1.50 higher than last November, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still within its first year.
"Unfortunately, the ongoing tight supply of crude oil will likely keep gas prices fluctuating, instead of dropping, for some time," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a blog post published on the company’s website.
Only Arizona (plus-7 cents) had a higher week-to-week increase than California, but the Golden State still had the country’s most expensive gas prices on Monday. The national average ($3.41) was down a penny from last week, according to AAA, but still 11 cents higher than last month.
The company said "pump prices will likely remain elevated for consumers as long as oil prices are above $80 per barrel." Crude oil closed at $80.79 last week.
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