ORLANDO, Fla. – As the national average price per gallon nears $5, Central Florida gas prices have jumped in the last 24 hours.
The national average is $4.99 a gallon, according to AAA, while Florida’s average is $4.83 a gallon.
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AAA said the increased demand and a decreased supply is driving up gas prices and as crude oil prices continue to rise, gas prices are expected to remain high “for the near future.”
GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said he wouldn’t be surprised to see prices go even higher during the summer.
“We could see gas prices eclipse $6 a gallon, should there be any disruption, such as hurricane or refinery outage. There’s basically no margin for error this summer,” he said.
In addition to rising gas costs, Americans are dealing with inflation. President Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks on tackling inflation, seeking to frame it as a global challenge brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.