Gas prices have been steadily falling over the past few months. The average gas price in South Carolina is 16 cents cheaper than a month ago, marking the lowest price in 2013.
Gas prices in South Carolina are at an average of $3.09 right now, compared to $3.25 a month ago, a summer high of $3.34 and $3.51 a year ago. The last time gas was cheaper in South Carolina was on Dec. 26, 2012, when prices averaged $3.08.
“Falling gas prices is great news for drivers,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “We expect prices to continue trending downward, barring any major supply or distribution issues, such as tensions in the Middle East or a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The dramatic drop in gas prices is a result of decreased demand due to the end of the summer driving season, refineries’ switch to cheaper winter fuel blends, and lower crude oil prices.
The current federal government shutdown also pressures prices downward, as furloughed workers aren’t commuting to jobs, resulting in even lower gas consumption. The Carolinas and the District of Columbia are both serviced by the Colonial Pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products up the East Coast.
AAA Carolinas expects that gas prices will continue to drop between now and Thanksgiving, typically the most heavily traveled four-day holiday and often a time when prices stabilize or rise slightly.
Myrtle Beach has the state’s lowest average price for a gallon of gas at $3.05; Charleston has the highest at $3.11. Columbia averages $3.08 and Greenville/Spartanburg averages $3.06.
The national average is $3.35, 21 cents lower than a month ago and 46 cents lower than a year ago. Missouri has the cheapest gas in the country at $3.05; South Carolina has the second-cheapest gas at $3.09.
