Gasoline prices continued downward this week, but the threat of Hurricane Rita to the oil producing regions of the Gulf Coast may send gas prices up again, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.944, which is 3.2 cents lower than last week, 14 cents higher than last month and 87 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.979 -- 4.2 cents below last week's price, 15 cents above last month and 87 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.036, down 3.8 cents from last week, 15 cents higher than last month and 79 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.963, down 3.1 cents from last week, 17 cents above last month and 86 cents higher than last year.

"Hurricane Rita is already sending oil and wholesale gasoline prices higher in eastern states. In effect, it's a repeat of what Katrina caused in energy markets four weeks ago," Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp said. "However, it's too soon to tell how much of an impact we'll see in California."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Sept. 23:

Area                         Regular   Change from     Record Price
                                       last week
Los Angeles-Long Beach       $2.944    -3.2 cents    $2.999 (9/6/2005)

Orange County                $2.910    -3.7 cents    $2.970 (9/6/2005)

San Diego                    $2.979    -4.2 cents    $3.060 (9/5/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                      $3.036    -3.8 cents    $3.111 (9/7/2005)

Riverside-San Bernardino     $2.963    -3.1 cents    $3.030 (9/9/2005)

Bakersfield                  $3.067    -6.2 cents    $3.167 (9/9/2005)

Las Vegas                    $2.888    -3.1 cents    $2.968 (9/8/2005)