San Diego's above-average gas prices continue to rise

Gas prices in San Diego have been rising over the past two weeks, with fuel costing more than $6 per gallon in some parts of the county.

• Yes, but: The price to fill up your vehicle locally is 5.4% lower than this time last year.

Driving the news: A gallon of gas costs $5.03 on average across San Diego as of Aug. 1, per GasBuddy, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

• That's compared to the national average of $3.76.

The big picture: Nationwide, average gas prices are up a bit from winter months — as expected based on historical patterns — but lower than last year's highs of nearly $5.

Between the lines: Gas prices ticked up in recent weeks due to excessive heat in Gulf states like Texas and Louisiana, where many of the country's oil refineries are located.

Why it matters: America is a nation of car travelers, with the average person driving nearly 13,500 miles per year.

• Thus, higher gas prices take a bigger toll on our wallets — and contribute to overall inflation.
• Gas prices can also influence how quickly people convert to low- or zero-emissions cars — a major policy goal for California and the Biden administration.

The bottom line: "The pace of increases has started to slow down over the last few days," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement this week.

• But "the respite from gasoline rising may not last long."