The national average price of diesel fell below the average price it was at the week before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast and sent prices soaring to record levels.

According to the Energy Information Administration, the national average price for diesel for the week ending Nov. 21 was $2.513 per gallon, down 8.9 cents from the week before. The average for the week prior to Hurricane Katrina in August was $2.59 per gallon.

California saw the biggest drop, falling 11.8 cents down to $2.559 per gallon. The Rocky Mountain region also saw a big drop, falling 11.2 cents to $2.654 per gallon.

The lowest average was found in the Lower Atlantic states, where prices fell 7.7 cents to $2.423 per gallon. The Central Atlantic and New England regions were significantly higher, at $2.615 and $2.652 per gallon, respectively. The average for the entire East Coast, however, came in at $2.491 per gallon.

The Midwest posted an average of $2.477 per gallon, while the beleaguered Gulf Coast was not far behind at $2.491 per gallon.

The West Coast saw an average of $2.652 per gallon.