The News Service of Florida
Gasoline prices dipped over the weekend, but not enough to offset a surge earlier in the week. Meanwhile, because of issues such as a series of storms in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, higher prices at the pump could be on the horizon. The AAA auto club said the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas Monday in Florida was $3.81, up 8 cents from a week earlier. “The volatility in prices at the pump will likely continue throughout the next couple of months, now that the tropics are beginning to heat up,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a prepared statement. “Pump prices typically increase if a tropical system threatens refineries along the Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi coastlines. These refineries are the primary supplier of gasoline for Florida. The extent of the price hike varies, depending on the severity of the storm and extent of any damages sustained by the refineries or supply chain.” Florida’s average price Monday was 33 cents a gallon higher than a month earlier and 27 cents more than a year ago. The national average of $3.87 a gallon on Monday was 28 cents more than a month ago but 3 cents less than a year ago.
