WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida drivers who went to the gas station to fuel up recently have probably noticed that prices have jumped in the last few days.
With the summer travel season in full swing and the July Fourth holiday weekend, drivers saw gas prices surge late last week. According to AAA, the average gas price in Florida last week was $3.36.
In comparison, as of Monday, Florida drivers are spending an average of $3.50 a gallon, which is 19 cents more than in June. In comparison, drivers in Florida were spending about five cents less at $3.45 in July 2023.
"Oil is a global commodity, and that price is driven by speculation, concerns about the impacts to supply and demand," AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Fuel Frustration
If you are hitting the road for a summer road trip, the average gas price in the U.S. is currently $3.51 a gallon.
Hurricane Beryl roared ashore along the Texas Gulf coast on Monday, where multiple fuel refineries and shipping ports are located. As of 2022, Texas accounts for 42.5% of U.S. crude oil production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
"Preliminary reports are this storm is being seen as an inconvenience for the industry and not a major issue on production," Jenkins said.
National News
Biden administration to sell gas from reserves to lower prices
Potential disruptions in the fuel supply could only raise prices even more in the weeks to come.
"You'll get a little bit of a slowdown as these days pass by, and it should be business back to normal by towards the end of the week," Alex Fernandez, the owner of Southern Gas in West Palm Beach, said.
The price of a barrel of crude oil was trading at about $82 as of Monday, about a 7% increase from last month.
CURRENT GAS PRICES IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, TREASURE COAST
- Palm Beach County: $3.67
- Martin County: $3.57
- St. Lucie County: $3.54
- Indian River County: $3.52
- Okeechobee County: $3.49
- Broward County: $3.55
- Miami-Dade County: $3.47