California’s mandated seasonal fuel blend switch helped drive the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in Los Angeles up 3.7 cents per gallon in the week ended Feb. 25, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. In its weekly Weekend Gas Watch, the Auto Club noted that pump prices as of Friday were 22 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and 13 cents higher than the year earlier.

The average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline totaled $2.196 per gallon in Los Angeles on Feb. 25, compared with $2.159 one week before and $1.979 one month prior.

“The main factor leading California prices higher is the turnaround that refineries go through at this time every year,” said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. “The switch from producing winter grade to summer grade of fuel must be completed by Monday. If crude oil prices remain at their current high levels, our gasoline prices might continue rising even after the supply of gasoline is sufficient to meet our demand.”

The lowest average price in Southern California, according to the report, is in Orange County, where regular is selling for $2.174. The Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc area reported the highest average local price at $2.300.