Florida gas prices rise after hitting lowest mark since February

oil pump and nozzles at the gas station on the street in daylight

After dipping to their lowest levels in four months, Florida gas prices began rising over the past week, according to AAA — The Auto Club Group.

The price for an average gallon of gas was $3.35 per gallon as of Sunday, a 10-cent hike over the previous week. The AAA report showed prices rose by as much as 15 cents last week before falling a few cents over the weekend.

It’s an unwelcome change that disrupted a 26-day streak of declines in gas prices, which dropped the average cost for a gallon of gas by 33 cents. Prices fell to $3.23 per gallon this past Tuesday, the lowest point Floridians have seen since mid-February.

AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said fluctuation in futures prices helped lead to the increase in costs here in Florida.

“Oil and gasoline futures prices rose the past two consecutive weeks, which raised the cost of producing gasoline,” Jenkins said. “Futures prices reportedly increased on data that fuel demand is outpacing fuel inventories. Price fluctuation like this is very common during the summer travel season.”

Indeed, Floridians had been seeing an unusual dip in fuel prices during the Summer travel season up until recently. But the U.S. price for crude oil is now above $80 per barrel after sitting below that mark for weeks. The price closed at $80.73 Friday, which is up 7% over the same time two weeks prior.

Florida’s average price for a gallon of gas, $3.35, is still below the national average, which sits about 10 cents higher, at $3.45 per gallon.

The most expensive location in Florida to fill up your tank is, as is standard, the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market, where the average price sits at $3.53. That’s followed by the Gainesville and Naples areas, at $3.41 per gallon on average.

The cheapest locations for a refill are the markets in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Panama City, where prices are at $3.11 a gallon on average.