Gas prices could drop as low as 99 cents per gallon because of the coronavirus pandemic, analysts say.

According to GasBuddy.com, gas prices are expected to continue to fall in coming weeks, with the national average leveling out somewhere between $1.49 and $1.99 per gallon. Beyond that, it could even dip below a dollar, says GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan.

The last time fuel prices fell below $1.60 was in December 2008, when the country was experiencing a financial crisis. Six months earlier, the per-gallon price had peaked at $4.10.

Why would the coronavirus pandemic cause gas prices to drop?