Overview
- AAA puts the U.S. average at $3.06 per gallon on Wednesday, the lowest since January, while GasBuddy reported $3.02 earlier this week based on millions of station price updates.
- Multiple regions are already below $3, including central Ohio at $2.77, Houston at $2.59, Michigan around $2.92, and New Hampshire near $2.95, with West Virginia averaging about $2.91.
- The West Coast remains elevated above $4 per gallon, especially in California, Washington, and Oregon, reflecting higher taxes, fees, and localized refinery issues.
- WTI crude recently slid below $60 per barrel after renewed U.S.–China tariff tensions, as EIA data showed crude inventories up 3.7 million barrels and gasoline stocks down 1.6 million for the week ending Oct. 3.
- GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan says the national average is on the cusp of dropping below $3, with a few stations potentially dipping under $2 in coming weeks, while diesel averages about $3.63 after a 3.5-cent weekly decline.