Gas prices are in flux, but still higher than last year

gas pump supply (Large)
Prices still significantly higher than in 2019.

The average price of a gallon of gasoline briefly stopped its slide from unusually high winter prices in Florida to go up a few cents last week, but then began creeping downward again, according to AAA — The Auto Club Group.

Ultimately, Florida drivers found pump prices to be about 2 cents higher at the start of this week, averaging $2.39 per gallon of gasoline.

AAA reported the prices broke an 18-day streak of steady declines last week, went up about 6 pennies per gallon, and then fell some again. The price is still about 14 cents higher than at this time last year, but well below the mid-January peak.

“Retail gas prices increased last week, despite fundamentals that suggested a decline,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins wrote in a news release. “Fuel supplies are strong, demand is down, and crude and gasoline futures have remained low. However, retailers likely raised prices to offset the cost of new fuel contracts that come with a new month. Despite the initial bump, pump prices are falling again, and could reach the low $2.30s in the coming weeks.”

According to AAA’s report, Pensacola drivers found the lowest priced fuel at $2.30 per gallon, while Crestview-Fort Walton Beach drivers were paying $2.32, and Punta Gorda drivers, $2.33.

At the high end, motorists in West Palm Beach-Boca Raton were paying $2.52 for a gallon of gas, while those in Miami paid $2.45, and in Gainesville, $2.44.

On Monday, the average price in Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Jacksonville was about $2.33 per gallon; in Tampa, it was $2.35; Tallahassee, $2.38; and Fort Lauderdale, $2.43.

The national average Monday was $2.43 per gallon, according to AAA.

Scott Powers

Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist with 30+ years’ experience, mostly at newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Columbus Dispatch. He covers local, state and federal politics and space news across much of Central Florida. His career earned numerous journalism awards for stories ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster to presidential elections to misplaced nuclear waste. He and his wife Connie have three grown children. Besides them, he’s into mystery and suspense books and movies, rock, blues, basketball, baseball, writing unpublished novels, and being amused. Email him at [email protected].


One comment

  • DisplacedCTYankee

    February 10, 2020 at 10:28 am

    Ever notice how gas prices are so important to people who drive pick-ups and gigantic SUVs? Try driving a 40-mpg car and see how you don’t care what the price of gas is because you use so little of it.

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