Sunday, November 23, 2008 - 1:07PM 
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Below $2, Tuesday snow
click to enlarge
Even though this is old news to most (since everyone else in the country has already passed this point two weeks ago), it's worth posting that gas in Charleston is finally below $2/gallon for the first time in over 3 years. The cheapest I've seen is $1.89 in St. Albans. Out in the midwest and Plains, where I'm usually chasing in the spring, gas is down around $1.50/gallon, with the lowest I saw reported online as $1.48 in Kansas City. I can't help but wonder why this isn't bigger news. For a lot of people in the US, gas going down this much is saving more money per person than a big government stimulus check would bring. If by some miracle these prices stay close to where they are now through the spring, storm chasers may be saving one or two thousand dollars or more *each* in fuel costs! That's no small amount.
I'm no economist, but I can't help but wonder if the dramatic cost savings that this brings for every individual, both directly and indirectly (shipping, cost of goods, etc) will counter any economic downturn. I don't think many people saw this coming while the cries of economic disaster have been trumpeted in the media for the past year. Everyone in this country suddenly has more cash in their pockets. Maybe it won't solve everything, but I don't see how it's not going to make a big impact. It is for me - I might actually be able to make the numbers work on a couple of chase trips this winter (ice storms, winter severe weather), something I never thought I'd be able to do again. If prices stay below $2.50 through the spring, a regular chase trip would certainly be more doable. Things change when the price of a chase gets slashed in half!
Yet another November snowstorm
Models have been consistent and in agreement on Charleston seeing yet another accumulating snow event on Tuesday. GFS snow total estimates are around two inches, with the mountains possibly seeing up to a foot once again. For Charleston to get three ground-covering and icy road-creating snow events in November is fairly unusual. Not record-breaking, but not normal.
| Gas is now 1.56 here in Paducah, Kentucky. I never thought I would see gas below $2 again!
Wonder just how cheap it will go!
- Posted by Beau Dodson from Paducah, KY |  |  | |
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