WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Gas prices have dropped below the five-dollar mark in Whatcom County for the first time in months.

AAA reports that the average price of regular gas in the county costs $4.97 per gallon.

That’s down about 10 cents from last week and about 37 cents from a month ago.

Diesel prices have also fallen slightly, down about 20 cents from the all-time high recorded at the end of September.

Skagit County has seen a similar trend with its average price for regular gas at $4.89 per gallon, as Whatcom and Skagit are both among the six cheapest counties in the state.

Washington remains just over a dollar higher than the national average at $5.18 per gallon as the fourth most expensive state in the county behind California, Hawaii and Nevada.

GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan attributes the recent drop to refinery maintenance wrapping up and seasonal demand fading with cooler weather.

“That combination has given gasoline and diesel prices some much-needed breathing room, and motorists are finally seeing relief at the pump,” De Haan said in a news release.

“However, volatility could return quickly after the election,” he continued. “Whether new attacks occur or a truce takes hold around the Strait of Hormuz, along with continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, will likely dictate where prices head as we move closer to the holidays.”