Gas Prices Keep Climbing in Riverside County as Middle East Conflict Drives Costs Higher

Gas prices in Riverside County continue to climb as the ongoing U.S. conflict in the Middle East pushes fuel costs higher across the country.

Nationally, the average price for a regular gallon of gas hit $4.06 this week, up $1.04 in just five weeks and 90 cents more than drivers were paying a year ago. Over the past two weeks alone, prices jumped 46 cents nationwide.

Locally, Riverside County drivers are feeling the squeeze too. According to AAA, a gallon of regular gas costs $5.837 this Monday, up slightly from $5.834 Sunday and seven cents higher than a week ago. The bigger picture is more jarring: county prices have risen more than $1.20 in the past month, climbing from $4.55 in late February to today's average.

Statewide, California's average sits even higher at $5.87 per gallon, up from $4.64 just a month ago and above the $4.79 drivers paid this time last year.