(Merrilee Gasser, The Center Square) Drivers in Florida have gas prices above $4 per gallon for the first time in four years with crude oil prices rising almost 60% since the Iran conflict began, AAA says.
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump put out a strongly worded warning on social media Sunday for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, threatening power plants and bridges if the country did not comply.
His message received mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle, with some lawmakers warning against further escalation.
Two days before Operation Epic Fury was launched on Feb. 28, the cost of crude oil was sitting at $65.42 a barrel and the national average for a gallon of gas was $2.98.
Now crude oil prices have skyrocketed into the triple digits costing $111.54 per barrel, up $12 from the previous week, according to AAA. The organization said it anticipates another rise in prices soon to follow.
Florida’s average price for a gallon of gas reached $4.20 Sunday, a little higher than the national average of $4.11, a more than 45% increase in one month. It’s a 25 cent increase from about a week ago and over a $1 increase per gallon than this time last year, AAA reported.
The most expensive prices are in West Palm Beach where the average hit $4.35 a gallon Sunday and Gainesville where the average is $4.28.
Gas remains below $4 per gallon in areas like Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, and Panama sitting where it’s averaging around $3.91 a gallon.
“The average Florida driver now pays about $20 more to fill up than a month ago,” said AAA’s Mark Jenkins. “Gas prices are climbing quickly because crude oil prices are surging as the conflict with Iran disrupts global fuel supplies. With the Strait of Hormuz still largely closed, ongoing uncertainty continues to push energy markets and prices higher.”
Next door in Georgia, prices have thus far remained below $4 a gallon with the state average hitting $3.71 over the weekend.
Some Democratic lawmakers have called for a suspension of Florida’s gas tax to buffer rising prices. Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled he wouldn’t back the idea, saying previous gas tax holidays didn’t make a big difference in the final price at the pump.
