In a welcome trend, AAA is reporting that gas prices are lower than a week ago with unleaded regular selling for an average $2.79 as compared to $2.81 on September 11.

Both premium and mid-grade unleaded fuel show a comparable 3 cent downturn with the average price of mid-grade at $2.96 a gallon and premium at $3.07.

On the diesel front, a gallon is selling for approximately $3 today, an increase of some 4 cents over the last week.

The data, published in AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report, is compiled from prices for 85,000 filling stations across the nation and averaged.

The downturn in fuel prices can be attributed in part to a subsidence of hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico that had raised fears of potential damage to the production abilities of important oil and gas refineries in the region.

The numbers are a welcome change from those reported two months ago when the national average had exceeded $3 per gallon.

Additionally, as summer temperatures are beginning to moderate, drivers are getting more value for their gas dollars.

Annually consumers lose approximately $1.5 billion at the pump to the phenomenon of heat-related gasoline expansion.

Both lower prices and more gasoline-friendly weather mean Americans are feeling less "pain at the pump" that at any point since last spring.