While most area gas stations are still above $2 a gallon, one man has dropped the prices at his pumps for his loyal customers.

Scotty Short, owner of Caroline Country Store, said he dropped his prices Monday morning from $2.05 to $1.99.

“It’s all I’ve been hearing about,” Short said. “People are saying they’re seeing it below $2 in Dothan. So, I thought I’d give everyone something to talk about.”

Short said it’s been so high for so long, it’s nice to give his customers some relief.

“A lot of my customers are farmers and are loyal to me,” Short said. “I wanted to give them something to be excited about.”

Short said that gas prices are changing every day, and he isn’t sure how long he’ll stay under $2, but he plans to stay low while he can.

“It’s a big question mark right now,” Short said. “Some are predicting that it will get to the 60 and 70 cent mark, but go up after Easter. Some think it won’t go back up but stay in the $2 price through the summer time.”

The state average is currently $2.17, a difference of 93 cents from last year.

Gas prices are averaging approximately $2.05 in Opp, and approximately $2.16 in Andalusia.

AAA Spokesperson Clay Ingram said he believed that some stations would fall below the $2 mark, but he didn’t expect the same for the state average.

“If we only buy the cheapest gas, then the higher-priced stations will be forced to lower their prices to compete with the lower priced stations,” Ingram said. “It puts tremendous downward pressure on gas prices.”

He predicted that prices would drop more in the future, before a spike during spring travel.

Star-News reporters drove through Opp and Andalusia checking prices, which include Tom Thumb on West Cummings Avenue in Opp at $2.05; Sunoco in Opp at $2.05; the majority of Gitty Up-N-Go locations at $2.16 with the MLK location at $2.14; Murphy at Walmart at $2.14; Cenergy stations at $2.16; Cannon on River Falls Street at $2.16; Inland on River Falls Street at $2.16; Kangaroo on MLK at $2.17; and Chevron on MLK at $2.23.