TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Average gas prices in the Sunshine State jumped this past week, but experts say this is an isolated increase, not a nationwide one.
AAA reported that in the past week, Florida gas prices increased by 15 cents to $3.72 per gallon, the highest it has been since 2023 began and the most expensive since August 2022.
However, the nationwide average remained about the same.
According to AAA, this was due to historic flooding that inundated parts of south Florida. The flooding kept fuel trucks from accessing the gasoline terminals of Port Everglades.
“This was a major problem, since that port is a hub for the majority of gasoline for filling stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach,” the AAA report said. “To offset the shortage, gasoline was brought in from other states and driven down from hubs in Tampa, Orlando, Port Canaveral, and Jacksonville. Gas prices rose double digits in these metro areas, likely due to having less supply than anticipated.”
Panic buying was also a factor in the rise in gas prices, with some stations running out of fuel, according to a report last Wednesday from the Associated Press.
However, the AP report said by that same day, most of Port Everglades’ gas terminals were operational once more with no shortage of supply.
Regionally, the most expensive metro markets were West Palm Beach-Boca Raton at $3.88, Port St. Lucie at $3.77, and Naples at $3.77.
Gas Buddy also reported the increases in the Tampa Bay area:
- Sarasota- $3.70/g, up 20.6 cents
- Tampa- $3.73/g, up 21.8 cents
- Cape Coral- $3.71/g, up 20.6 cents
However, AAA said it is likely these prices will likely die down soon.
“There is reason to be optimistic that gas prices won’t hang around these highs for long,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Oil prices dropped to a 3-week low and gas prices began drifting lower through the weekend. There’s hope that the upward pressure on pump prices will begin to ease as supplies stabilize around the state.”
