Scary – Gas Prices Skyrocket to Near All-Time High

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded what is believed to be its largest single-day increase Friday, rising 19.5 cents to $4.523, its highest amount since July 2008.

The average price record is $4.63, set in June 2008. The soaring cost is due to fears over fuel supplies in the state.

In some parts of San Diego, prices already have reached $5.59 a gallon. Coronado is feeling the pain as well, with prices that have topped $5.

The average price has risen for seven consecutive days, including 9.2 cents on Thursday and 5.8 cents on Wednesday, and is now 40.7 cents more than one week ago, 36.7 cents higher than one month ago and 70.9 cents greater than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

“Reportedly in recent weeks, local refineries were dropping production levels, exporting supply to Mexico and other countries, and allowing inventory to dwindle in anticipation of switching over to production of winter blend gasoline, then a refinery power outage and a pipeline incident occurred on Monday that sent wholesale markets into a panic about the adequacy of California fuel supplies,” said Jeffrey Spring of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Spring said “it's not clear” how much higher prices will go.

“A lot depends on whether the perceived supply issues are quickly addressed,” he said.

City News Service contributed to this report.