Southern California gas prices spike nearly 60 cents in past month (Map)

Gasoline prices in Southern California have jumped nearly 60 cents in the past month. The Automobile Club of Southern California said the record one-month rise brings the statewide average to $4.20 a gallon for regular, nearly 12 cents higher than last week.

The auto club said the average price for self-serve regular in Los Angeles County is $4.31 a gallon. In Orange County, the price is $4.30 with a gallon of self-serve in Riverside and San Bernardino counties a few pennies less at $4.27 a gallon.

Despite the rapid rise in the last month, gasoline prices would have to climb another 40 cents a gallon to hit the record prices set last October.

“Prices have now gone up even more than they did during the spike in October and the one last February, and more quickly than they did duri

ng any one-month stretch in 2008, when we had another big spike,” said Jeffrey Spring of the auto club. “Los Angeles drivers are now paying nearly as much as drivers on Maui for regular unleaded, which is unprecedented.”