National gas average falls below $3

The national gas price average dipped 3.9 cents during the past week, crossing below the $3 per gallon mark for the first time since December 2010, according to GasBuddy.com.

The average in the U.S. was $2.99 per gallon yesterday, representing a 33-cent drop from a month ago and 27.9-cent decrease from a year ago. The Missouri gas average rose 1.1 cents during the past week to $2.83 per gallon yesterday. The Show-Me State average has dropped 25.8 cents in the past month and 9.1 cents in the past year, according to a news release.

“We have two different scenarios for gas prices from here on,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst, in the release. “If oil prices hold their current $80 [per barrel] level, gas prices nationally may see their decline wind down, only dropping another few cents. But if oil prices can drop to $78 or less, we could see the national average decline for several more weeks.

“It's hard to tell right now which way the market will go, since oil prices have halted their decline in the last week.”

This morning, Missouri ranked 10th on GasBuddy’s list of the lowest averages in the nation. At $2.70 per gallon, South Carolina was No. on the list, while Hawaii was at the bottom with its average of $4.02 per gallon.

In Missouri, the least expensive price for gas statewide was selling at $2.50 per gallon this morning in Crystal City. A high price of $3.45 per gallon was observed in Savannah, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.

Springfieldians could purchase gas for a low price of $2.79 per gallon at both Sam’s Club locations. Prices elsewhere in the city ranged from $2.81 per gallon to $2.84 per gallon.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $80.54 per barrel as of 9:41 a.m. Light sweet crude oil futures for December were trading at $80.15 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.