By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


The pain at the pump continues to lessen during the nationwide COVID-19 public health emergency.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline dropped below $2 per gallon for the first time in four years. Today’s national gas price average is $1.97. AAA expects gas prices to push cheaper by at least another quarter in April. AAA Spokeswoman Adrienne Woodland says in Michigan, the average is $1.67 but motorists are able to find gas for less than $1.50 per gallon some gas stations. Woodland says the decline is due to COVID-19’s chilling effect on the global economy and the crude oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Crude has plummeted to $20 a barrel – a closing price not seen since 2002.

Woodland says AAA expects gas prices to keep dropping as cheap crude combines with the realities of people are staying home and there being less demand for gas. While demand is diminishing, COVID-19 is not impacting the U.S. gasoline supply. Woodland tells WHMI with a nice supply and demand doing down, it will just push the price of gasoline down lower.

Woodland says another factor coming into play is that the U.S. has an unusual amount of winter-blend gasoline still available for this time of year. She says prices tend to rise as refineries do maintenance and switch over from the winter blend of gasoline to the summer blend. However, the current supply of winter blend has caused the caused the Environmental Protection Agency to extend the sale of winter-blend past the May 1st deadline to May 20th – although it could be extended again. Woodland added the EPA’s extension of the winter-blend gasoline waiver will contribute to sustained lower prices, especially as U.S. gasoline demand readings look more like winter-driving season than spring. Woodland says AAA forecasts that until crude oil prices and gasoline demand increase, cheaper gas prices are here for the foreseeable future.