Gas prices in the Los Angeles area moved higher for the fourth straight week on Friday, and prices are expected to continue their upward trek well into next month, said the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area rose 2.3 cents to $2.751 on Friday. Last Friday, they climbed 9.9 cents to $2.728. The price was $2.491 per gallon one month ago and $2.435 one year prior. Prices haven’t hit a new record high since Sept. 6, when they reached $2.999.

“Spot wholesale prices dropped significantly more than a week ago, which probably helped slow down the price increases,” said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. “But in recent days, spot prices have spiked again. That’s likely to be reflected in pump prices in coming weeks.”

The Orange County area had the lowest average price in Southern California, edging up a slight 1.2 cents to $2.709. The Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc area had the highest gas price, rising 1.8 cents to $2.847.

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline each Friday.