Gasoline prices are continuing to drop -- along with the stock market.
Gasoline could be had along Bullsboro Drive for prices below $3.40 on Monday.
The Marathon station on Bullsboro was offering regular unleaded for $3.39, while BJ's was offering it for $3.37 to members, according to Georgiagasprices.com . Several other stations had regular unleaded for $3.43.
Drivers in Augusta area were seeing the lowest prices in the state on Monday -- some stations were offering regular unleaded for $3.23.
The state average for regular unleaded was $3.50 on Monday, down from $3.506 Sunday, $3.545 a week ago, and $3.729 a month ago, according to AAA's fuelgaugereport.com site, which tracks gas prices. It's still nearly a dollar higher than last year at this time, when the state average was $2.572.
For the Atlanta area, the average was $3.521 on Monday, down from $3.525 on Sunday and $3.571 a week ago.
Nationally, the average price for regular was $3.569 on Monday, down from $3.573 Sunday, $3.594 a week ago, and $3.697 a month ago.
A year ago, the national average was $2.713.
Analysts with the Gas Buddy Blog predict that prices will continue to move lower this week, with the national average price for all gasoline (not just regular) dropping by about two cents over the coming week.
In addition to stock market volatility forcing prices lower, "the news out of Libya today is encouraging," said Greg Laskoski of Gas Buddy on Monday.
The hurricane season always has an impact on prices of gas and oil, especially in the South. Current models have Tropical Storm Irene moving toward the Atlantic side of Florida, Laskoski said, so it is not likely to have an impact on refinery infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico.
In fact, emergency officials on the Georgia coast are keeping a close eye on Irene and say residents should make sure they have plans in order if evacuations are necessary. The National Hurricane Center said Monday Irene could strike the southeast U.S. anywhere from Florida to North Carolina by the end of the week. The storm was churning just northeast of the Dominican Republican on Monday morning.
