In the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Florida is facing the highest gas prices it has seen in three years, a new study from AAA finds.
AAA released a study on Monday showing, in the later half of last week, gas prices averaged $2.73 per gallon in Florida, the highest they have been since December 2014.
In the past month, gas prices have jumped up, on average, 46 cents per gallon in the Sunshine State. Only Georgia, where gas prices have risen 50 cents per gallon in the month, has seen a higher increase.
Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA and the Auto Club Group, said on Monday that the hurricanes were to blame but he sounded optimistic that prices would drop in the near future.
"Hurricanes Harvey and Irma delivered a one-two punch on gas prices in the southeastern U.S.," Jenkins said. "Prices surged when Hurricane Harvey caused refinery outages along the Gulf Coast. As refineries recovered, gas prices should have begun to decline after Labor Day, but the arrival of hurricane Irma caused a surge in demand, preventing the impending plunge.
"Gas prices are poised to plummet 30 cents," Jenkins added. "It will not happen overnight, as pump prices decline much slower than they rise. Plus, the threat of any new storms making landfall in the United States would compromise the collapse. However, motorists should see gas prices decline through the end of the month, and possibly reach the lowest point of the year in Q4."
Over the weekend, gas prices slipped slightly in Florida with an average of $2.71 per gallon on Sunday. While that was a drop of 1.5 cents from the start of last week, this is up 55 cents from this time last year. The national average stood at $2.63 per gallon on Sunday.
South Florida motorists are looking at higher prices at the pump than other residents of the Sunshine State. The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market saw an average of $2.80 per gallon on Sunday while the average in Miami stood at $2.77 and at $2.74 in Fort Lauderdale.
Pensacola saw the least expensive average in Florida with prices at $2.63 per gallon. The Tallahassee market was next with $2.65 per gallon followed by the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market where prices averaged $2.69 per gallon.
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