Twin Cities gas prices drop to $3.35 a gallon

Filling up in the Twin Cities is getting less painful.

Driving the news: The average price of a gallon of regular, unleaded gas in the metro area dropped to $3.35 this week, down 50 cents from the start of September.

• At a handful of local stations, listed prices have dipped below $3 a gallon.

Zoom out: Gas prices nationwide declined significantly over the same period, though they remain above the lows seen early this year.

Between the lines: Seasonal factors, including the switch to winter gasoline, are contributing to the dip, per GasBuddy.

What we're watching: The national average could fall another 10 to 20 cents in the coming weeks, GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan said in a statement last week, providing even more relief ahead of Thanksgiving travel.

Yes, but: That's assuming the Israel-Hamas war doesn't spread to other countries in the Middle East, De Haan said.