Amid a renewed national surge, California gas prices reached $6 per gallon Thursday - their highest level in several years.
Oil prices soared to a four-year high in early Thursday trading amid the continued standoff between the United States and Iran that has stalled tanker traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz, though they fell significantly as the day progressed.
California's average price stood at $6.01 per gallon Thursday morning, according to AAA - up three cents from Wednesday and up 17 cents from a week ago.
The most expensive gas in the state was being sold in Mono County, where prices averaged nearly $7 per gallon, according to AAA. Many Bay Area counties are also well above the $6 mark; San Francisco, for example, is seeing gas prices averaging $6.21 per gallon.
California's highest-in-the-nation gas prices are driven by several factors: global tensions, and particularly the Iran conflict, have pushed prices up nearly $1.25 per gallon over the past year, while limited pipelines, in-state refining needs, a shrinking number of refineries, and climate-related fees add to the cost.
Hawaii's gas prices, which are the next highest in the country, stood at $5.64 per gallon Thursday.
Diesel prices have also soared: In California, they average $7.48 per gallon, according to AAA - up from $4.98 a year ago.
California last saw gas price peaks in mid-2022, not long after Russia invaded Ukraine, and again in 2023 amid high global oil prices and refinery outages.
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