Although it’s not unusual to hear that gas prices in California are among the highest in the nation, recently, as gas prices dropped across the country, the price per gallon in the state has jumped to an average of $5.86 a gallon. According to the MendocinoBeacon, that’s more than $1.89 above the national average, the largest gap in over two decades. Mechanical issues at West Coast refineries, including taking plants offline for maintenance are being blamed. The lowest average price in the state was $4.74 per gallon.