Report: Gas prices expected to fall slightly ahead of Labor Day

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Travelers planning to hit the road one last time this summer may have some good news at the pump.

GasBuddy is predicting the average price of gas in the U.S. during Labor Day weekend will drop a couple of cents to $3.75 per gallon. That is identical to what customers experienced last year, according to GasBuddy.

However, if demand rises, the weekend could see some of the strongest gasoline demand of the summer, behind that of July 4. Experts say bumps may lie ahead.

“If we can escape further unexpected oil production cuts and outages due to hurricanes, we may avoid an unexpected surge in gas prices, with the downturn accelerating as we get into late September and stations transition back to cheaper gasoline,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says. “We could see a national average of $3.25/gal by the end of the year if all goes well.”

Gas stations can start using winter-blend gas on Sept. 16. This gas costs less, allowing gas stations to help alleviate inflated prices for some drivers.

Meanwhile, in Myrtle Beach, gas prices have fallen for a third straight week.