The new year has started with gas prices where they were when 2015 ended: Below $2.
The national average price of a gallon of gas was $1.99 Monday, the cheapest national average since March 25, 2009. The national average has moved lower for the 50 of the past 59 days, largely due to an abundance of crude oil, according to AAA.
The news is even better in Minnesota where Monday's average was $1.849. In the Twin Cities metro area were right at the state average, while they were a few cents higher in Duluth at $1.888 and $1.91 in St. Cloud. Prices were slightly lower in Rochester at $1.83, according to AAA.
The statewide average has fallen about 13 cents over the past month, the eighth biggest drop in the nation. Currently, Minnesotans has the 13th lowest price in the country, said Sabrina Capriole, a spokeswoman for AAA Minneapolis.
California at $2.87 and Hawaii at $2.68 had the highest prices.
Enjoy the low prices while they are here. They could start going up,Caprioli said.
"Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East appear to be influencing global oil prices. Both the West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude oil benchmarks opened the week posting increases related to worries about supply disruptions in the Persian Gulf region."
