Motorists could soon see U.S. gasoline prices fall below $4 a gallon for the first time since July, according to energy experts. Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at price-tracking firm GasBuddy, told CBS News that he expects the national average for gas, which the price-tracking firm put at $4.06 a gallon on Thursday, to dip below the $4 threshold by next week. He also predicted diesel could fall below $6 a gallon by Thanksgiving. The average price was still at $4.06 early Friday, according to GasBuddy. Gas and diesel prices have both dropped in recent weeks. The decline was largely due to market expectations that the U.S. midterm elections would underscore public dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and increase pressure on the Trump administration to strike a deal ending the conflict. Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has picked up, easing constraints on global oil supply, Brent crude fell below $100 on Thursday for the first time since September. The recent drop in gas prices is also partly due to seasonal shifts. Prices tend to dip in the fall when Americans pull back on road trips and summer travel. Filling stations are already switching to winter-blend gas, which is less costly to produce than summer-blend fuel. Could U.S. gasoline prices fall below $4 soon? Yes, experts forecast a dip below $4 a gallon within the next week as oil prices ease and seasonal blending begins.