Gas prices jumped steeply on Monday in southeast Florida, putting the price well above the national average.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped by 5 cents since last week, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA). The leap puts the average for a gallon of regular gasoline at $3.85 cents. Although gas prices are trending higher, 2023 prices are still below last year, when gas remained above $4 per gallon for much of the year.
An ongoing rise in gasoline prices could signal worsening inflation, although severe weather also can have an impact. The national average isn't indicative of the prices at each gas station though, and some stations have priced gas at astonishingly high prices.
On Monday, a Shell station in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, had priced a gallon of premium gas at nearly $7, local news channel CBS12 reported. The gas station priced a gallon of premium gas at $6.49, well above the local average of $4.69. Even unleaded gasoline was more than a dollar higher per gallon at $4.99 than the national average.
"Gas stations set their own prices, so it's not uncommon to see some stations well above the state average," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz told Newsweek. "Depends where they're located—sometimes you see stations with higher prices near airports, for example."
Other nearby gas stations offered lower prices, according to the report. AAA expects gas prices to continue declining by as much as 20 cents per gallon in Florida over the next month, but hurricane forecasts could derail that trend.
Strong storms heighten prices by disrupting production and causing supply problems. Hurricane season is from June through November. Forecasters have predicted between 12 and 18 storms this season. Five to nine of the storms are anticipated to become hurricanes. At least one and up to four of the storms are expected to be Category 3 or higher.
There are two tropical storms raging in the Atlantic Ocean right now, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tropical Storm Harold is causing heavy rainfall in Texas, and Tropical Storm Franklin is tracking south of Cuba.
However, Diaz said it's still too early to know what effect the storms might have on refineries.
Other weather-related issues, such as heat waves, also can have a costly impact. Refineries can suffer from a reduction in gasoline supply due to heat-related issues.
Despite the anomaly in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida's gas prices were average when compared to other states. AAA data revealed that the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Florida was $3.79. The highest state average cost was in California, where a gallon of regular gasoline cost $5.26 on average.
Other states plagued with higher-than-average gas prices included Illinois, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
