Average Los Angeles-area gas price up nearly $1.30 per gallon in the last month

Gas prices in Southern California continue to skyrocket amid the War in Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off global oil supply.

According to the American Automobile Association, the average price for regular fuel was $5.83 per gallon in California as of Wednesday. It marks an increase of 27 cents in the last week and $1.20 in the last month for regular fuel.

In the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, the average was $5.94 per gallon for regular fuel, with diesel at $7.14. The monthly increases are $1.26 and $2.03, respectively.

Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, says the market price of crude oil is the largest factor in gas prices, and since oil prices are surging due to turmoil in the Middle East, that's connected to the price at the fuel pump domestically.

While prices jumped seemingly overnight, the solution to growing prices isn't necessarily going to come immediately when the war ends.

"It is very likely that we are going to see elevated prices even if things ended tonight, for months and months after this, if not more than a year," said GasBuddy petroleum expert Matt McClain.

Fuel deliveries for gas stations can be tens of thousands of dollars more than they were even just a month ago, McClain said. So even when the market stabilizes, stations could be looking to make up the difference for months on end.

"I'm not driving as much," said North Hollywood resident Maria Flores. "Only to go to work, go home, that's it."

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it would temporarily waive summer gasoline regulations in an attempt to slow the pricing surge.