The price of gas is now above $3.50 a gallon in all major cities across California. And in San Francisco where the average is the highest in the state at $3.71, you might have already paid more than $4 at a pricier station.

As oil prices soar, the price of gas is expected to swell even higher in coming weeks: This summer the average price of gas in California is forecast to hit $4 a gallon, USA Today reports.

We'll likely face the highest prices we've seen at the pump in four years.

California's prices are usually higher than in other states due to its gas tax of $0.467 a gallon, which is among the highest in the nation. What's more, the state has regulations requiring cleaner fuel that's more costly.

The U.S. daily national average for regular gasoline is now $2.81 per gallon. That's up from about $2.38 per gallon a year ago, according to Oil Price Information Service. And across the U.S., 16 percent of gas stations are charging more than $3 per gallon, according to AAA.


The price of U.S. crude oil has been on a mostly steady incline since last June, last week hitting $68.64, the highest since December 2014. Benchmark U.S. crude closed Monday at $68.57. Oil prices near $70 shouldn't put the brakes on economic growth, however. While they're boosting costs for some sectors of the economy, the energy sector and related industries have more money to spend on equipment and workers.




Drivers in Western states such as California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada, as well as Alaska and Hawaii, are paying the most at the pump, according to AAA. The average retail price in those states ranges from $3.19 to $3.61 per gallon.

Average retail gasoline prices are lowest in a swath of states in the South and Southeast, including Louisiana and Alabama. These two states have the cheapest gas in the country at $2.54 and $2.56 per gallon, respectively, according to AAA.


"People forget very, very quickly," Kloza said, noting that the average U.S. gasoline price remains well below the $3.60 per gallon it was five years ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.