Gasoline prices in California are approaching the $5 per gallon level. That was the price nationwide at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in mid-2022. At that point, oil moved to over $100 a barrel on interrupted supply.

California gas prices rose for the second consecutive week and reached an average of $4.25 per gallon of regular fuel on Monday, up from last week's price of $4.22 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.