Gas prices continue to decline

"Considering what Californians were paying for gas just a few months ago, these prices appear to be more tolerable,'' said AAA of Northern California spokesman Michael Geeser in a statement.

AAA notes that Bay Area gas prices are lowest in San Rafael, where gas sells on average for $2.09 per gallon.

The biggest price drop in the Bay Area was in San Jose, where gas costs 41 cents less than it did in last month's survey.

In Northern California, the average price is $2.25 per gallon, and in the Bay Area, the average prices is $2.22, down 33 cents from November.

The rate at which gas prices are declining is slowing down as a result of a recent strengthening of oil and wholesale gas prices, according to AAA.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Report surveys more than 85,000 self-serve gas stations every day.

Current average prices of regular unleaded gasoline are $2.25 per gallon in San Francisco, $2.19 per gallon in Concord, $2.28 in Oakland, $2.19 in San Jose, and $2.32 in San Mateo, according to AAA.<