California gas prices surge overnight as pain at the pump hits new highs. See which areas hit the hardest.
Gas prices in the Golden State skyrocketed overnight as dreadful pain at the pump continues to batter drivers.
The average price of a gallon of regular gas in the state shot up to $4.905 on Friday — nearly 10 cents above Thursday’s average, according to American Automobile Association.
Several areas across California saw even higher prices, as the US average sat at $3.32 on Friday.
Cities in and around the Bay Area experienced the steepest increases, with many recording prices above $5 per gallon.
The average cost in Santa Rosa hit $5.058, while drivers in San Rafael are forced to fork over $5.058.
San Francisco saw prices reach $5.041, followed by Salinas at $5.034, Napa at $4.964, Oakland at $4.926 and San Jose at $4.865.
The San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles area recorded a price per gallon of $5.028.
Things weren’t much better in Southern California, with Los Angeles-Long Beach drivers paying $4.990 per gallon and Orange County seeing prices hit $4.976.
The San Diego area recorded prices of $4.998.
Just a week ago, the average cost per gallon in California sat at $4.642 — still well above the national average of $2.982 — before US-Israeli strikes in Iran sent shockwaves through global oil markets.
The situation is only made worse in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom’s green agenda risks sending the price above $8 per gallon, lawmakers and experts have warned.
Drivers in the Golden State pay a “California premium” that includes higher than average state excise and sales taxes, as well hefty fees for climate programs unique to the state.
California also requires a special and more costly fuel blend designed to prevent smog, which only the state’s refineries and specific Asian countries can produce.
OIl giant Chevron warned in a doomsday letter to Newsom this week that California will face economic collapse under Newsom’s “misguided” climate policies.
A top Chevron executive cautioned that California’s green initiatives could wipe out the state’s oil business entirely.
