Gas prices continue to seesaw: after falling to a two-year low in late December, prises rose back up, then began a pattern of declining or rising almost every week within a band of 10 to 20 cents, hitting a 2024 high in mid-March before declining a bit and rising again, as they did last week, mirroring the fluctuations of the price of oil, but with some lag.
Gas prices in Florida rose 7 cents over the past week to a statewide average of $3.564 as of today, 10 cents lower than the national average–and 10 cents higher than in the Palm Coast-Flagler Beach area.
Prices at gas stations along State Road 100 today were in the $3.44-a-gallon range , with some higher exceptions, and as low as $3.38 at stations further east toward Flagler Beach, and further north along Palm Coast Parkway, with some others falling in the $3.50 range. Prices were not significantly lower at Buc-ee’s on LPGA Boulevard–usually the lowest option between Flagler and Volusia counties–with regular unleaded at $3.39 a gallon.
Oil was trading at $83 a gallon today, below the 2024 high of $86.50 a few weeks ago, but on the upswing as tensions in the Middle East persist, as do tensions over the war in Ukraine.
“The situation overseas with war in both the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross. “But this is also the time of year we may see a bit of a lull in gasoline demand between the end of spring breaks and ahead of Memorial Day. So the national average for gas may waffle a bit with small increases, some flat days, and even some price dips.”
The Florida Panhandle has the lowest prices in the state ranging from $3.272 a gallon to $3.485 (the Panhandle is closer to the refineries of the Gulf). The highest prices are inland in North Florida and in most South Florida counties.
