Gasoline prices have been steadily climbing the last few weeks, and Santa Rosa’s average price for regular topped $4 a gallon Sunday.

Just a month ago, Santa Rosa’s average was $3.675, according to AAA. A week ago, it hit $3.832. On Saturday, it was $3.997. On Sunday, it was $4.004.

The state average is $4.031, with Yuba City being the cheapest among several metro areas surveyed by AAA at $3.907 and Santa Barbara the most expensive at $4.098.

The state average never has been higher than $3.80 before March, and some analysts are forecasting gas will hit $5 a gallon this summer, especially with refineries soon switching to making more-expensive, warm-weather gasoline, summer driving demands and tensions in the Mideast keeping oil prices up.

The highest average gas price yet for Santa Rosa was $4.55 on June 19, 2008.

The national average was $3.565, with Wyoming the lowest at $3.036 and Hawaii the highest at $4.234.

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