Auto Club: Quadruple Whammy Sends Gas Prices Higher for Ninth Straight Week.News Editors/Business Editors/Travel Writers LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2003 Gasoline gasoline or petrol, light, volatile mixture of hydrocarbons for use in the internal-combustion engine and as an organic solvent, obtained primarily by fractional distillation and "cracking" of petroleum, but also obtained from natural gas, by prices in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, continued rising last week for the ninth consecutive week. Four key factors contributing to the increases are: war fears, lower crude oil imports, a severe winter storm in the eastern United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and the switch from winter to summer formula gasoline in California, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Weekend Gas Watch compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California The Automobile Club of Southern California was founded December 13, 1900 in Los Angeles as one of the nation's first motor clubs dedicated to improving roads, proposing traffic laws and improvement of overall driving conditions. . Since the beginning of 2003, gas prices have risen 24.3 percent. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips. Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.941 per gallon, which is 6 cents higher than last week's price, 30 cents higher than last month and 63 cents higher than last year. In San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. the price is $1.985, which is 6.5 cents higher than last week's level, 28 cents higher than last month and 60 cents higher than last year. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $1.977, which is 5.6 cents above last week's price, 27 cents higher than last month and 57 cents higher than last year. "In California, we switch from the winter to summer gasoline formula much earlier than the rest of the country. Summer formula gasoline is more difficult to produce. This is a major reason that our prices are increasing while prices in other regions of the country have stabilized sta·bi·lize v. sta·bi·lized, sta·bi·liz·ing, sta·bi·liz·es v.tr. 1. To make stable or steadfast. 2. ," said Carol Thorp, Auto Club spokesperson. "If you look at the formula switch, war fears, lower crude oil supply and severe weather, it makes a perfect storm for California pump prices."
Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., Feb. 28:
Area Regular Change from Record Price
last week
Los Angeles-Long Beach $1.941 +6.0 cents $2.036 (5/25/01)
San Diego $1.985 +6.5 cents $2.025 (5/29/01)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc $1.977 +5.6 cents $2.069 (5/16/01)
Las Vegas $1.805 +5.1 cents $1.885 (3/27/00)
Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. $1.675 +7.3 cents $1.720 (5/30/01)
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