Gas Price Rises for Eighth Time in Nine Days Near Lake Elsinore

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County rose three-tenths of a cent Friday to $3.548, the eighth increase in nine days.

The average price is 2.2 cents more than one week ago, 1 cent higher than one month ago and 43.9 cents greater than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It has risen 47.5 cents since the start of the year because of higher oil prices.

The average price rose five consecutive days, dropped one-tenth of a cent Tuesday then resumed increasing Wednesday. It has increased 3.4 cents over the past nine days, including two-tenths of a cent on Thursday.

The average price is at its highest amount since Aug. 1.

"Oil Price Information Service reported that some Southern California refineries may have already switched to producing winter-blend gasoline, which cannot be sold locally until Nov. 1, and these refiners underestimated how much summer-blend gasoline they would need to last through the end of October," said Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager.

"At the moment, it does not appear to be a serious problem, but it has pushed up prices slightly."

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock