Gas prices trending down: Have you seen, though, what they pay out west? Yikes

Gas prices are down three to four cents across Virginia and across the country, a trend that should continue for the next several weeks.

Even out in California, where they pay through the nose for gas.

“With California allowing the transition to winter gasoline to begin immediately, easing supply concerns, we’re likely to see nearly the entire country see gasoline prices trend lower in the week ahead,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

Gas prices in Virginia have fallen 4.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.51/gallon today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 4,081 stations in Virginia.

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.77/gallon today.

The national average price of diesel has fallen 0.7 cents in the last week and stands at $4.52 per gallon.

Be thankful you don’t live out west.

“California should quickly see prices fall back below $6, and once all refinery snags are addressed and maintenance complete, I would not be surprised to see prices even fall below $5 there later this year. Areas of Arizona, Las Vegas and Reno could fall back below $4 by the end of the year as well,” De Haan said.

I’d never paid attention to that before, but the GasBuddy tracker has the average today at $6.03 a gallon in California, $5.08 a gallon in Washington and Nevada, $4.72 a gallon in Oregon.

Yikes.

“While the trend is likely to be a strong one to the downside, small issues here and there could temporarily delay the onset of lower prices, but for now, motorists need not be in any rush: lower gas prices are on the way for every U.S. state in the weeks ahead,” De Haan said.