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Florida gas prices surge to highest levels this summer
Florida gas prices have surged to their highest levels this summer, AAA reported Monday.
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Florida gas prices have surged to their highest levels this summer, AAA reported Monday.
According to AAA, the state average rose nearly 30 cents per gallon over the past two weeks.
The state average was $3.67 per gallon on Friday, and while that was the highest daily average price since mid-April, it remains below this year’s high of $3.72 per gallon.
“Oil prices are the primary culprit behind the recent jump at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. “The U.S. price of oil rose 15% through the past five weeks, which raised the cost of producing gasoline.”
On Friday, the U.S. price of oil traded was $80.58 per barrel while it was around $70 per barrel earlier this month.
“According to our partners at the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), prices are being sent higher by strong economic data, which raises expectations for fuel demand,” a news release from AAA stated. “Additionally, record-breaking heat has led to some refinery outages along the Gulf Coast, leading to reductions in fuel output. The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows refinery operations in the Gulf Coast last week at 93.3%. That’s down 1.5 percentage points from the previous week and significantly lower than the 97% rate refineries were operating at last year.”
The most expensive metro markets are currently West Palm-Boca Raton ($3.80), Naples ($3.72), and Port St. Lucie ($3.71).
The least expensive metro markets are Pensacola ($3.46), Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.52), and Panama City ($3.54).