>>> as the world has faced some rocky economic conditions the past week the price of oil has tumbled down 25% in the beginning of may. that of course has pushed gas prices lower, too, bringing some welcome relief to motorists just in time for summer. nbc's miguel almaguer joins me now from los angeles with more.
>> reporter: lester , good evening. california is usually one of the most expensive places to fill up anywhere in the country, but today the state average here in california is well below $4 a gallon. it hasn't been that cheap since winter. and prices everywhere seem to be headed down.
>>> for bob, a commuter in los angeles , at last a break at the pumps.
>> it's great. yeah. i'm in sales so i drive all over the place.
>> reporter: near atlanta, 3.18 feels even better to demario maguire.
>> i have a son so i have to buy his now.
>> reporter: for 11 straight weeks prices have dropped across the country. the national average down 49 cents from a high in february and some analysts believe it could land below $3 a gallon by fall. in south carolina , we found regular already at $2.79. the drop comes when prices typically spike, the start of summer.
>> it is encouraging for the moment especially when you're going in your pocket to pay a better price.
>> reporter: in just a month a gallon of regular is down 22 cents. now at $3.45. the drop most dramatic on the west coast where in washington, oregon, and california prices have fallen as much as 43 cents a gallon.
>> we're finding problems we had earlier this year have been resolved and also people did lower their demand in response to the high prices.
>> reporter: flight attendant casey rittiner says now he can finally afford to drive this summer.
>> now that the prices are coming down it's made me reconsider going to the mountains, driving to the beach.
>> reporter: one prediction in california ? a gallon of regular could drop another 75 cents . that would put the state average at 3.25, a long way from the $5 a gallon prices we saw in february. but tonight while that popular route from los angeles to las vegas may be cheaper, it's not any faster. of course, the big question tonight, lester , is how deep and how far will the cuts go? nobody seems to know the right answer to that question, but there's also more good news. a record 42 plus million americans will be traveling this 4th of july weekend coming up in just a few days. many of them will find some of the cheapest prices at the pump they have seen in months, lester .
>> those are words we don't get to say very often,
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