Florida gas prices ease a bit but still hanging around $4.50 a gallon

Gas prices eased just a bit over the weekend, entering the new week at $4.48 per gallon, three cents lower than the new record set last week.

Nonetheless, drivers can expect the most expensive Memorial Day weekend gasoline in history next weekend, AAA — The Auto Club Group cautioned Monday morning.

“Even though pump prices have moved slightly lower, gas prices on Memorial Day are still forecast to be the holiday’s most expensive yet,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a news release.

“A combination of tightening global supplies and strengthening demand are the main culprits behind this unprecedented pain at the pump. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a quick end in sight. Gas prices are likely to continue fluctuating throughout the summer and remain well above year-ago levels.”

Before this year, the highest Memorial Day average gas price was set in 2008 at $3.93 per gallon, AAA noted.

Last year, Memorial Day travelers paid an average price of $2.86 per gallon. The state average was $2.60 in 2019 and $2.91 in 2018, the association reported.

Florida’s average price at least had fallen below the national average. Florida’s average of $4.48 per gallon compared with the national average of $4.60 on Monday.

Despite historically high gas prices, AAA expects 100,000 more Floridians to take a road trip this Memorial Day. That’s 5.4% more than last year’s holiday weekend. Although there is forecast to be a strong rebound in air travel this year, 90% of holiday travelers are expected to drive to their destination.

Florida’s best gas deals Monday were found in Pensacola, where drivers saw a gallon averaging $4.35. That was followed by Crestview-Fort Walton Beach at $4.38; Melbourne-Titusville and Panama City at $4.40; Jacksonville at $4.44; and Orlando at $4.45.

The state’s most expensive gasoline was found in the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market, where it averaged $4.64 per gallon. That was followed by Fort Lauderdale at $4.55; Miami at $4.54; Gainesville at $4.53; Naples at $4.52; Tallahassee at $4.49; and Tampa and St. Petersburg at $4.46.