Bakersfield, CA, April 3- Average retail gasoline prices in Bakersfield have risen 1.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.98/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 300 gas outlets in Bakersfield. This compares with the national average that has increased 4.3 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.32/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Bakersfield during the past week, prices yesterday were 20.8 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 7.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 0.8 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 26.5 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.
According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on April 3 in Bakersfield have ranged widely over the last five years:
$2.77/g in 2016, $3.24/g in 2015, $3.96/g in 2014, $4.05/g in 2013 and $4.34/g in 2012.
Areas near Bakersfield and their current gas price climate:
Santa Barbara- $3.09/g, up 0.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.09/g.
Los Angeles- $3.01/g, flat from last week's $3.01/g.
Ventura- $3.01/g, down 0.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.01/g.
"We long anticipated seeing gasoline prices beginning to rise en masse in the spring, but uncharacteristically, it took until nearly April Fool's Day for it to begin. There's no fooling this time- the rally in prices does seem to be more credible as oil and gasoline markets rebound," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com.
"Last Wednesday's weekly report from the Energy Information Administration provided some energy for the storms to develop at gas pumps based on a weak showing in crude oil inventories- barely increasing as supply and demand finally sees more balance, pushing oil prices higher. Motorists should expect to see a more sustained upward trend at the pump through Memorial Day, but thankfully the seasonal rise could still be less severe than what we've seen in prior years," DeHaan added.
