Oh Joy, Gas is Getting Insanely Expensive Again

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Just in time for your summer vacation plans, gas prices are skyrocketing in Southern California. Funny how that always seems to be the case.

The average price of gasoline has risen 59.3 cents since Thursday, including over 10 cents on Monday alone.

So why the price gouging increase?  The same old line about supply and demand, via TIME:

Tight supplies, thanks partly to diminished production due to repairs and maintenance at refineries, are being blamed for a 70¢ jump in the wholesale price of gasoline. That jump has translated to a quick spike in retail prices at the pump. And drivers are likely to see even higher prices in the near future, as price increases at the wholesale level are routinely passed along to consumers.

Meanwhile, gas prices around the rest of the country remain basically unchanged over the past few weeks.

“This is a complete disconnect with the rest of the country,” Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for the independent Oil Price Information Service told The LA Times. “This really is illustrative of the fact that California is its own market.”

And don’t look for relief anytime soon.   Allison Mac, a petroleum analyst for Gas Buddy, told The LA Times that prices won’t fall as fast as they rose.

Oh joy.

Related: Find the lowest gas prices in The Coachella Valley