Call it Christmas in July, a gift from the gas gods, or whatever you'd like; gas prices have dipped below the $3 mark at a number of stations throughout the Tampa Bay area with many more expected to join within the upcoming month.
Of course, if you've been a regular at the pumps over the past few months, this probably comes as no big surprise. Average gas prices have been on a steady decline - an average five cents per week - since April when the average price hovered just under the $4 mark. Just in the past week, the average gas price in Tampa has dropped 7.3 cents.
As always, declining average gas prices can be traced right back to the price of crude oil per barrel as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). As this price steadily fell to below $80 per barrel - a 10 month low - the country's average gas prices have followed suit.
The few reported sub-$3 pumps in Tampa are cash-only if you want to take advantage of this particular price, but according to tampagasprices.com, the three cheapest gas stations in Tampa at the time of this report are the Marathon at 4990 E Busch Blvd & N 50th St. with a regular gas price of $3.03; the Liberty at 7002 N 56th St near Sligh Ave. at $3.03; and the Sunoco at 6904 N 56th St & E Sligh Ave. at $3.04 per gallon.
Analysts expect widespread gas prices below $3 throughout the Bay area to hit around mid-July - good timing in the midst of the often busiest season for travel in Tampa and beyond during the summer.
As much of a relief as this may be, the roller coaster-like rise and fall of fuel prices is anything but. Just last December, gas prices were right at this coveted $3 mark before skyrocketing to almost $4 in April. Hang on for the ride, we guess, and, as always, please drive safe out there.
