Florida Gas Prices Drop 20 Cents in Nine Days: AAA

FLORIDA — Florida drivers may experience some minor relief at the pump the next time they fill up.

According to AAA, the price of oil suffered steep losses last week, enabling the price of gasoline to back off from record highs.

In the Sunshine State, the state average price for gasoline is on a 9-day streak of declines, dropping a total of 20 cents per gallon. On Sunday, Florida drivers paid an average price of $4.18 per gallon, AAA said.

"The oil market remains extremely volatile, after seeing big swings in both directions during the past few weeks," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. "Last weekend, oil prices dropped on demand concerns regarding a COVID outbreak in China, which resulted in lockdowns."

"By the end of the week, oil prices charged higher again as global crude supply concerns - regarding the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict - moved back to the forefront. Fortunately, oil prices are well below the high we saw more than a week ago. This should enable gas prices to slip lower this week, unless oil suddenly spikes again," he continued.

Two weeks ago, fuel prices surged after Russia invaded Ukraine. The U.S. price of oil reached a 2022 high of $123.70 per barrel.

According to AAA that $32 price increase resulted in a 90 cent jump at the pump. Since then, the price of oil has pinballed lower, hitting a low of $95.04/b on Wednesday before bouncing back up to $104.70/b on Friday.

Friday's closing price of $104.70/b is still $19/b less than the 2022 high of $123.70/b. Nineteen dollars is the equivalent to a 45 cent swing at the pump. So far, gas prices have dropped 20 cents per gallon, so another 25 cent discount is possible, AAA said.

That is unless oil prices move higher again this week. As of this writing, the U.S. price of oil was trading $3/b higher than Friday's settlement. If that increase holds, it would erase 5-10 cents from the potential 25 cent price drop.