Gas prices go from ugly to uglier: $4.19 a gallon

Motorists in the Sacramento-area and statewide can't catch a break at the gas pump.

Myriad factors are combining to drive up gas prices: Increased demand for fuel overseas, the annual conversion to pricier warm-weather gasoline, Middle East tensions and rising crude oil prices.

A recent fire and subsequent shutdown at BP's Cherry Point refinery in northwest Washington state added to the misery. The BP refinery processes about 230,000 barrels of crude oil every day and provides 2 percent to 3 percent of California's gasoline, according to state officials.

The ugly result: The average price of gas in the Sacramento area rose a whopping 24.6 cents to $4.19 a gallon over the past week, according to Monday's weekly report by SactoGasPrices.com, a GasBuddy.com website.

That was on top of a nearly 20-cent increase the week before.

Local pump prices are now 50.3 cents per gallon higher than one year ago, and 55.1 cents above last month

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/28/4295889/regions-gas-prices-go-from-ugly...