LOS ANGELES, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Gasoline prices are expected to be under three dollars a gallon by year's end in Southern California which has the highest prices in the United States, after falling for the fourth consecutive week.
But Christmas holiday trips will still cost travelers 10 to 20 dollars more in gasoline than last year, the Automobile Club of Southern California said Friday.
With the latest fall, average gasoline prices are now more than15 cents a gallon lower then when prices stopped rising a month ago, according to the Auto Club.
The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded regular fell four cents in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area this week to 3.246 dollars -- 15.6 cents less than last month but 66 cents more than at this time last year and 51.3 cents higher than on Aug. 31.
Prices fell for the 15th time in 16 weeks during the week that ended Aug. 31, but that was followed by 12 consecutive weeks of increases, ending when the average price of regular unleaded fell 1.9 cents from Nov. 23-30. The average fell 4.5 cents from Nov. 30-Dec. 7 and 5 cents from Dec. 7-14.
"As Christmas travelers hit the road this weekend, their holiday trips on average will cost 10 to 20 dollars more for gasoline than they did last year," said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.
"But if current price trends continue, drivers in Southern California could see some gas station prices dip below three dollars before the end of the year."
The Auto Club provided this breakdown of gasoline prices in selected portions of California and Nevada as of Friday.
But Christmas holiday trips will still cost travelers 10 to 20 dollars more in gasoline than last year, the Automobile Club of Southern California said Friday.
With the latest fall, average gasoline prices are now more than15 cents a gallon lower then when prices stopped rising a month ago, according to the Auto Club.
The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded regular fell four cents in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area this week to 3.246 dollars -- 15.6 cents less than last month but 66 cents more than at this time last year and 51.3 cents higher than on Aug. 31.
Prices fell for the 15th time in 16 weeks during the week that ended Aug. 31, but that was followed by 12 consecutive weeks of increases, ending when the average price of regular unleaded fell 1.9 cents from Nov. 23-30. The average fell 4.5 cents from Nov. 30-Dec. 7 and 5 cents from Dec. 7-14.
"As Christmas travelers hit the road this weekend, their holiday trips on average will cost 10 to 20 dollars more for gasoline than they did last year," said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.
"But if current price trends continue, drivers in Southern California could see some gas station prices dip below three dollars before the end of the year."
The Auto Club provided this breakdown of gasoline prices in selected portions of California and Nevada as of Friday.
