Surging crude futures forced gas prices in the Los Angeles area back up once again after they fell for the first time in five weeks just 7 days ago, according to data from the federal Energy Information Administration.

The average gallon of self-serve regular in the Los Angeles area was $2.575 for the week ended August 1, up from $2.546 the previous week. Prices gained nearly 3 cents and are now 45 cents higher than year-ago levels.

Statewide gas prices edged up eight-tenths of a cent for the week to an average of $2.549 per gallon. They are around 42 cents higher than one year ago.

California still had the highest gas prices in the nation, and San Francisco outpaced L.A. as the priciest city surveyed for the sixth week in a row. San Francisco rose half a cent to $2.583.

Minnesota was the lowest-priced state, at $2.153 per gallon, and the city with cheapest gas was Houston, which fell nearly 3 cents to $2.159 per gallon.