NEW YORK — American drivers are catching a break at the pump: the national average price of a gallon of gasoline has dropped below $4 for the first time since July, according to industry price trackers, and at least one petroleum analyst expects prices to keep sliding in the coming weeks.

The decline comes as crude oil prices have eased and refineries have ramped up winter-blend gasoline production, which is typically cheaper to produce than the summer blends required in warmer months. Falling prices also reflect softer demand patterns typical of the post-Halloween, pre-holiday lull, before travel volumes climb again around Thanksgiving.

For households, the drop offers modest but real relief heading into a stretch when inflation has remained a persistent worry. Just days earlier, a hotter-than-expected October inflation report had rattled markets and revived fears that the Federal Reserve might hold off on further rate cuts. Lower gas prices don't erase that pressure, but energy costs ripple through nearly every corner of the household budget, from grocery delivery fees to the cost of commuting to work.

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS WHEN YOU'RE FILLING UP EVERY WEEK.

Prices vary significantly by region, with coastal states and areas with higher gas taxes generally remaining above the $4 mark even as the national average dips under it. Analysts caution that gas prices are notoriously volatile and can reverse quickly if crude markets react to new supply disruptions, geopolitical shocks, or a shift in OPEC+ production policy.

Still, for now, the trend is moving in drivers' favor. Industry trackers say the next few weeks will be a key test of whether the decline holds through the start of the holiday travel season, when millions of Americans hit the road for Thanksgiving.