Gas prices should begin to dip in the coming weeks as a result of President Joe Biden's announcement Thursday releasing millions of barrels of oil from the U.S. reserve.
The projection is a drop of about 20 cents a gallon, but with Bay Area average prices ranging from $5.77 to $5.96, according to AAA, gas still will be expensive, at nearly $2 a gallon more than it was a year ago.
As of Friday, the state's average price was $5.88, and the national average was $4.21.
"Theoretically, stations could be getting lower prices as early as tonight, but most of them only fill their tanks every three to five days, so it will take probably until the weekend to start seeing more downdraft at the pump nationally," Patrick De Haan of Gas Buddy said Thursday night.
DeHaan added that the lower prices could last several weeks and into the summer "if we're lucky." But it's too early to call, he said, because the situation remains very volatile.
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