Those planning a road trip this weekend in Florida will need to budget a little more for fuel: the price of gasoline has risen again in several parts of the state, and the average is approaching four dollars per gallon once more.
The Miami Herald, citing data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), reported this Friday that the average price of regular gasoline in Florida is around $3.94 per gallon, about 10 cents more than at the beginning of the week.
Prices vary significantly depending on the area. In Miami-Dade, the average is around $3.94 per gallon, five cents more than on Monday.
In Fort Lauderdale, it reaches approximately 3.97 dollars, which is five cents more.
Fuel is even more expensive in the northern part of South Florida. In West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, the average is about $4.09 per gallon, while in the Florida Keys it reaches approximately $4.17.
Since the beginning of the week, the increases in those areas have been six and seven cents, respectively.
AAA data shows that the state average remains slightly below the national average, which this Friday is around $4.09 per gallon.
The increase in recent days didn't come as a complete surprise, as last Sunday, regular gasoline was averaging about $3.86 in Florida.
For Florida drivers, the difference can be substantial depending on the destination. While some areas of the Panhandle have clearly lower prices, South Florida, particularly the Keys and Palm Beach, remains among the most expensive places to refuel.
For example, recent data from AAA places Pensacola at about $3.74 per gallon, while West Palm Beach-Boca Raton exceeds four dollars.
So those who are considering taking advantage of the weekend to explore Florida might want to add an extra item to their budget: filling a 15-gallon tank at a price of 3.94 dollars costs around 59 dollars, while doing so at 4.17 dollars, like in the Keys, approaches 63 dollars.
AAA warned that the rise in oil and gasoline futures could end up putting pressure on the prices that drivers pay.
"If wholesale fuel costs remain high, drivers could begin to see upward price pressure in the coming days," warned Mark Jenkins, spokesperson for AAA.
That change can already be seen when comparing Monday's prices with those from Friday. At the beginning of the week, Miami-Dade averaged around $3.89 per gallon; Fort Lauderdale, $3.92; West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, $4.03; and the Keys, about $4.10.
AAA attributes much of the pressure on fuel prices to the international price of oil.
The organization noted this week that crude oil continues to hover around 80 dollars per barrel amid the volatility related to the Strait of Hormuz.
On the other hand, the situation is not exclusive to Florida. According to AAA, August is on track to become the most expensive August ever recorded in the United States for purchasing gasoline.
For the first time, the national average for gasoline has remained above four dollars every day of the month.
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