On Tuesday, gas prices across Florida climbed up and reached their highest point since Hurricanes Harvey and Irma back in September. 
AAA released a study which found prices stood, on average, at $2.68 per gallon, the highest they have been since the middle of September. Since Monday, prices have risen, on average, 5 cents a gallon across the state. A month ago, the average gas price in Florida stood at $2.53 per gallon.
Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA and the Auto Club Group, said that rising tensions in the Middle East are partially to blame for the increased prices. He also said he expected prices to continue to go up.
"Unless the market does an about-face, Florida gasoline will soon surpass $2.73 and hit the highest price more than three years," said Jenkins. "Oil prices are trickling lower, after a slowdown in geopolitical discussions surrounding Syria. However, gasoline futures remain elevated, as refinery maintenance season reaches its final rounds and summer gasoline begins to flow into the market."
Markets across the Sunshine State have seen sharp increases this week. Panama City and Pensacola both saw prices go up 9 cents a gallon. So did Naples and the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market.
The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market had the most expensive gas in Florida with an average of $2.81 per gallon followed by the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach market at $2.80 a gallon and Pensacola at $2.77 a gallon.
The Villages had the least expensive gas in Florida with an average of $2.60 per gallon followed by the Melbourne-Titusville area and the Tampa Bay region which saw an average of $2.62 per gallon.
The national average stands at per gallon, up from $2.54 a month ago.
