Prices at a Shell gas station in Santa Clara County, Calif., on March 9, 2026.

Gas prices in California and across the country have skyrocketed over the last several days, and experts say they’re only expected to keep climbing as the war with Iran escalates. 

The gas hike reflects instability in global oil markets as the turmoil threatens critical infrastructure and supply routes. The domino effects are already being felt at the pump, especially in California, where gas prices are already higher than other states. Here what’s driving the spike and what experts say could happen next.

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As of Tuesday morning, California’s average price is $5.29 per regular gallon, approximately 62 cents higher than a week ago and 80 cents higher than a month ago, according to the American Automobile Association.

Across the state, the average price per gallon varies widely by county, from a low of $4.67 in Modoc County to a high of $5.95 in Mono County. And in the Bay Area, the price per gallon ranges from an average of $5.31 in Solano County to $5.56 in Napa County.    

Why are gas prices so high?

The spiraling prices are primarily driven by a surge in global crude oil prices amid the war, Severin Borenstein, a professor at UC Berkeley with a concentration in economic analysis, told SFGATE. And if oil costs don’t ease, gas prices will continue to go up. 

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Don't let Google decide who you trust.

“Whether California gets its oil from the Central Valley or Kuwait or Venezuela or other parts of the world, [it] doesn’t matter. It still affects the price of gasoline........

© SFGate