Gas Prices Plummet: Highest, Lowest Prices In La Mesa

LA MESA, CA — Finally, Golden Staters are experiencing some relief at the pump, even though prices are still higher than anywhere else in the nation.

On Monday, the average price for a regular gallon of gas was $4.37 — down from $5.30 one month ago, according to AAA. In San Diego County, the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $4.46, according to AAA on Monday.

The national average pump price fell 12 cents since last week to $3.14, AAA reported Monday. There are now about 20 states with averages below $3 per gallon of regular gas.

“The cost of oil, gasoline’s main ingredient, has been hovering in the low-to-mid $70s per barrel, and that’s $50 less than the peak last Spring,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross on Monday. “Combined with low seasonal demand, gas prices could slide a bit more before leveling off.”

Gas prices have plummeted in recent weeks — and they’re expected to fall to the $3 range by mid-January at the latest, according to experts from AAA.

“The seasonal pattern of less driving due to shorter days and crummy weather, combined with a lower oil cost, is driving gas prices lower,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “If this trend continues, many states could see their average prices fall below $3 a gallon by early next year.”

In La Mesa, the cheapest regular gas was being sold for $3.94 at a Costco station at 8125 Fletcher Pkwy. The most expensive gas was going for $4.59 at a Shell at 5151 70th St., according to GasBuddy.

The "primary reasons" for the continuing dropping prices are "ample fuel supplies and lower demand for fuel during this period between holiday travel periods," Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager, told City News Service.