Gas prices in the Sunshine State continue to drop, falling eight cents a gallon last week and 11 cents a gallon in the past week and a half.
According to a report from AAA, the average gallon of gas in Florida cost $2.45 to start this week, down from $2.53 at the start of last week. The national average stood at $2.52 a gallon.
“It took almost the entire month, but gas prices are finally beginning to follow a more traditional trend of declining in January,” said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA and the Auto Club Group. “With the holiday travel season in the rear view and temperatures turning colder, Americans are not driving as much as they did a month ago. The lower demand has allowed gasoline stocks to swell. Wholesale prices have reached a low that – if they hold – could drag the state average below $2.35 in the next 10 days.”
“Despite the recent decline, the state average remains 22 cents per gallon more than this time last year. The difference amounts to an additional $3 for a full 15-gallon tank of gas. That difference could soon begin to narrow as crude oil prices move more in line with last year’s levels,” AAA noted. “Friday, WTI crude settled at $54.19 per barrel. The daily settlement is $4/b less than the week before and only 50 cents more than this time last year.”
The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton area had the most expensive gas in the state with an average of $2.59 a gallon followed by the Sebastian-Vero Beach area at $2.53 a gallon and Port St. Lucie at $2.51 a gallon.
Punta Gorda had the least expensive gas in Florida with an average of $2.36 a gallon followed by the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market and Pensacola which both had an average of $2.38 a gallon.
