Gas prices drop, but not for long. Why they might rise

Gas prices have dropped almost 7 cents a gallon across the U.S. in the last three weeks, but the drop in prices that started in April might not last, according to a recent Lundberg survey.

"This could be it for the declining prices," survey publisher, Trilby Lundberg, told CNN. The price of crude oil — the biggest component of fuel prices — has remained pretty stable since late June, and summertime is a time of high fuel demand in the U.S., Lundberg told CNN.

Since June 22, the price of a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped 6.8 cents to an average of $3.41 in the continental U.S., according to the survey. Since April 5, the price of motor fuel has fallen 56 cents per gallon.

The average cost for a gallon of gas is now more than 20 cents below what it was at this same time last year, Lundberg told CNN. No one can know exactly what's going to happen with gas prices, but "a more or less steady pump price from here is a likely scenario," Lundberg told CNN.

EMAIL: bbullock@desnews.com