According to AAA, the cost of regular gas is on track to set a new September record.
On Thursday, the agency reported the U.S. average for this month is $4.30 a gallon. If that average remains, it will top the most expensive September on record, 2023, by nearly 50 cents.
AAA spokesperson Marie Montgomery points to restricted oil flow in the Strait of Hormuz as part of the cause.
"It seems like it may have more to do with the Middle East and the supply concerns there and the high price of oil," Montgomery said.
The spike comes during a time of year when Montgomery says gas prices can sometimes drop due to lower post-summer travel demand. But in California, that is not always the case.
"We've had a lot of years in September and October where we set new records for gas prices because of supply issues in the state," Montgomery said.
Montgomery says, between the Iran conflict and California supply issues, it's hard to tell exactly what's driving up costs and by how much.
AAA reported Friday that the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in San Luis Obispo County is $6.47. That is up more than a dollar and a half from this time last year.
Some San Luis Obispo drivers say they are feeling the pinch.
"It's a headache," Kelly Meyer, a San Luis Obispo resident, said.
"It's been really tough," Nathan Ubias, a Nipomo resident, said.
Local drivers say they are having to adjust their day-to-day lives in response.
"I'm more-so just trying to drive less, carpool more," Rachel Maginnis, a San Luis Obispo resident, said.
"It obviously costs more, so I've got less to spend on other things," Meyer said.
While there could eventually be some relief for drivers, the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects oil prices to remain elevated through the end of the year, with a more significant decline predicted as supplies potentially recover in 2027.
In the meantime, Montgomery says drivers can use online tools to compare prices and find the cheapest gas near them.
"We do really recommend to aggressively shop around for that lowest price for gasoline because there's a lot of variation right now," Montgomery said.
GasBuddy and AAA both offer resources to help drivers find and compare gas prices at stations near them.
