The national average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline rose 8.5 cents to $2.57 for the week ending April 27, according to federal data.

Prices have risen for two consecutive weeks and recorded a 17-cent gain in the average price, which is now $1.143 less than a year ago, reported the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Gasoline prices also increased in the nine regions tracked in the data with the sharpest increase coming on the West Coast with a 21.4-cent increase to $3.182. California appears to be driving that increase, as the West Coast without the state rose 10.7 cents to $2.749. The Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions paced a slower increase with a 4.2-cent and 5.1-cent rise to $2.439 and $2.478 respectively.

Among the states, three now have an average price about $3 per gallon, including California, Hawaii, and Alaska, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Gasoline costs at least $2.50 in another 19 states and the District of Columbia. Only Missouri and South Carolina show gasoline prices below $2.30 with $2.297 and $2.27 respectively.

Meanwhile, the average price of diesel fuel rose 3.1 cents to $2.811 per gallon. Diesel now costs $1.164 less than a year ago.