Average retail gasoline prices in Sacramento are on the rise but only slightly. According to GasBuddy's daily survey of 720 gas outlets in Sacramento, prices regionally have risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.86 per gallon as of yesterday. This compares with the national average that has increased 4.3 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.32 per gallon. Including the change in gas prices in Sacramento during the past week, prices yesterday were 22 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 1.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.
According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on April 3 in Sacramento have ranged widely over the last five years from $2.64 per gallon last year to $3.01 per gallon in 2015, $3.86 per gallon in 2014, $3.93 per gallon in 2013, and $4.23 per gallon in 2012.
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By comparison in the Stockton area the current average prices is $2.83 per gallon, down 1.3 cents per gallon from last week's $2.84 average.
Around Modesto gas is averaging $2.78 per gallon, up 0.7 cents per gallon from last week's average price of $2.78.
Oakland has the highest average price regionally at $2.97 per gallon, but that average down 0.4 cents per gallon from last week's price of $2.98 per gallon.
"We long anticipated seeing gasoline prices beginning to rise en masse in the spring, but uncharacteristically, it took until nearly April Fool's Day for it to begin. There's no fooling this time- the rally in prices does seem to be more credible as oil and gasoline markets rebound," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com.
"Drivers should expect to see a more sustained upward trend at the pump through Memorial Day, but thankfully the seasonal rise could still be less severe than what we've seen in prior years," DeHaan added.