AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Gas prices are continuing to drop across Texas as millions are expected to hit the road for the Christmas holiday, according to the latest data from AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded across the Austin-San Marcos metro area this week is $2.58 a gallon, down four cents from last week and 26 cents cheaper than a year ago.
Across the state, the average fell three cents to $2.62 a gallon, which is 27 cents cheaper than a year earlier. Nationally, drivers are paying an average of $3.10 a gallon, which is down nine cents this week.
Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Texas, drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $2.90 per gallon while drivers in McAllen are paying the least at $2.41 per gallon.
Texas remains the cheapest place in the country to buy regular unleaded fuel. With higher crude oil prices, falling pump prices may soon reverse direction. And with the third busiest end-of-year holiday travel period ahead, more demand for fuel could cause price fluctuations in some areas. However it’s possible bitter cold and blizzard conditions in parts of the country could put a dent on demand, analysts suggest. In the meantime, relatively cheaper gas prices are good news for those 8.3 million Texans expected to drive to their year-end holiday destinations, according to AAA Texas.
“Falling gas prices may incentivize even more people than anticipated to make a last-minute decision to travel,” said AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster. “AAA recommends drivers assess the weather along their route before heading out and that their vehicle is well-maintained with a well-stocked emergency roadside kit.”
