The new COVID variant is stalling California gas prices. See how costs fare in your area
Crude oil prices initially decreased more than $10 to $68 a barrel on Friday after international news broke of the newest COVID-19 variant, omicron, which was first detected in the U.S. Wednesday after a San Francisco resident returned from foreign travel.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped to $3.39 last week — and currently sits at $3.37. It’s still about $1.27 more than this time last year.
“It’s too soon to tell if fears of a global economic slowdown caused by the Omicron variant will push oil prices lower for the long term,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross in a recent AAA news release.
“But for now, the upward pricing pressure due to tightened supply and high demand seems to have abated and that will likely result in pump prices stabilizing.”
And that’s what seems to be happening with California gas prices.
California has been breaking record after record for highest pump costs. But the average regular gas price hasn’t been more than $4.71 since Saturday, one day after omicron was detected and four days before the variant was confirmed in California.
As of Thursday, the current average price in the state is $4.69, which is close to where it sat one month ago but $1.51 more than one year ago.
The same trend follows in several California areas: Sacramento, Bakersfield, Chico-Paradise, Fresno, Los Angeles - Long Beach, Santa Cruz - Watsonville, Stockton - Lodi, Ventura, Visalia - Porterville and Yolo.
Sacramento’s regular gas price has dropped since Monday’s record average of $4.72. As of Thursday, the average price is $4.70, less than a penny down from last month’s average but $1.51 more than it was one year ago.
Fresno’s highest recorded average of $4.63 hasn’t been broken since Saturday and its current gas price average is $4.61. Yolo’s highest price of $4.69 hasn’t been broken since Tuesday and its current average gas price is $4.66.
Here’s how other California areas compare, according to AAA:
BAKERSFIELD
Highest gas average: $4.66 as of Nov. 29
Current gas price average: $4.64
CHICO - PARADISE
Highest gas average: $4.59 as of Nov. 28
Current gas price average: $4.56
LOS ANGELES - LONG BEACH
Highest gas average: $4.71 as of Nov. 27
Current gas price average: $4.70
SANTA CRUZ - WATSONVILLE
Highest gas average: $4.77 as of Nov. 27
Current gas price average: $4.75
MODESTO
Highest gas average: $4.62 as of Nov. 29
Current gas price average: $4.59
STOCKTON - LODI
Highest gas average: $4.68 as of Nov. 27
Current gas price average: $4.65
VENTURA
Highest gas average: $4.70 as of Nov. 30
Current gas price average: $4.68
VISALIA - PORTERVILLE
Highest gas average: $4.68 as of Nov. 26
Current gas price average: $4.66
But even though Californians have caught a break at the pump, the state still ranks No. 1 out of 10 most expensive markets with Hawaii, $4.35, Nevada, $3.96, and Washington, $3.88, trailing behind.
The data used in this interactive map, collected from AAA, was last updated Thursday. Here are the regular gas prices in California by county. See where you land: