Average gasoline prices in Florida increased 8 cents during the past week but were a penny lower than the national average Monday, according to the AAA auto club.
“Although gas prices rose last week, fundamentals are moving lower,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a statement. “Crude oil and gasoline futures prices finished the week sharply lower than the week before, which should enable gas prices to decline.”
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded Monday in Florida was $3.46, up from $3.38 a week earlier.
Florida in recent days took steps to prevent gas-supply disruptions from Hurricane Debby, which made landfall Monday morning in Taylor County after moving up the Gulf of Mexico.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on Sunday said the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services was coordinating with ports and the fuel industry to ensure adequate supplies across the state.
Also, the Florida Department of Transportation waived size and weight restrictions for vehicles including trucks transporting fuel.
Before Debby entered the Gulf of Mexico, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said the storm wasn’t expected to have meaningful effects on oil infrastructure, which is mostly in the western gulf.
During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in prices of such things as gas, food, hotel rooms and water.