San Diego County gas prices drop for ninth consecutive day

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County dropped for the ninth consecutive day Saturday, falling 1 cent to $6.343.

The average price has dropped 8.4 cents over the past nine days, including 2 cents Friday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The streak follows a run of 42 increases in 44 days totaling 74.5 cents that brought the average price within seven-tenths of a cent of its record.

The average price is 7.2 cents less than one week ago, but 34.8 cents more than one month ago and $1.56 more than one year ago. It has increased $1.657 since the start of the joint U.S./Israel war on Iran on Feb. 28, which sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump.

The dropping prices are the result of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that cheaper winter-blend gasoline would be allowed to be sold immediately instead of the customary Nov. 1 date.

According to Oil Price Information Service, Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices have plummeted in the last week after the early switch to winter blend and West Coast refiners have ramped up their production, so that could mean more significant pump price decreases in coming days,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, said in a statement released Thursday.