Maybe Santa planned it this way: By this weekend, gas prices nationwide are expected to be at their cheapest going back a year-and-a-half.
GasBuddy, a travel and navigation app, forecasts that the national average price of gas will dip to just $2.98 a gallon on Christmas Day, a price that would mark an 18-month low for travelers.
That’s nearly $2 per gallon lower than this year’s peak prices seen in June.
In the D.C. region, GasBuddy said the average price for a gallon of gas on Wednesday stood at $3.32 in the District, $3.10 in Maryland and $2.96 in Virginia.
But Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, said challenges remain that could drive prices back up next spring.
His holiday message: Enjoy these cheaper prices at the pump while you can.
