Gas prices in Los Angeles rose for the fourth straight week as traders sent prices higher on fears that interruptions in gasoline production caused by Hurricane Dennis will be repeated by Hurricane Emily, the Automobile Club of Southern California said.

The average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area rose 8 cents the largest increase of the week for the areas surveyed to $2.571 on Friday from $2.491 one week ago. The price was $2.352 per gallon one month ago and $2.217 one year prior.

“The upward trend likely will persist another week, but there are signs that our prices could be near a plateau,” said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. “Stability is starting to return to oil and gasoline market, which is sending wholesale prices lower. Usually, it takes a couple of weeks to see any relief at the local gas pump.”

The Orange County area had the lowest average price in Southern California for the third week in a row, rising 7.5 cents to $2.546. The Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc area had the highest gas price, edging up 6.6 cents to $2.668.

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m. each Friday.