Montana Gas Prices Now Average Under Three Dollars

Montana is now one of only four states where the average price for a gallon of gas is under three dollars. "We see prices declining," said Gasbuddy.com Petroleum Analyst Greg Laskoski. "A week ago the state average was 3.01 a gallon and today we have the state average at exactly $2.99 and nine tenths. It's a nominal decrease but nonetheless, it's a decrease and its something consistent with what we see occurring in the rest of the country."

Prices are expected to keep going down through most of December and may even fall faster in the next few days.

"We do expect to see incremental decreases over the next few weeks, largely because of the picture that we've gotten from the Department of Energy concerning the fundamentals," Laskoski said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you saw the Montana state average drop maybe another ten cents a gallon over the next couple weeks."

According to Laskoski, at the beginning of the week, the lowest prices in the state could be found at a Safeway in Helena, where the pump price for a gallon of unleaded is down to $2.91.

Laskoski said that the low prices won't last forever and that he expects them to start rising shortly after the first of the year.