FL Gas Prices Near $4, Only Pennies Away From Record High

FLORIDA — Gas prices are climbing in Florida as the national average hovers at $4 per gallon for the first time in more than a decade — and analysts expect it to hit $4 soon. AAA said the average gas price for regular gas in the Sunshine state hit $3.95 a gallon Sunday.

That's an increase of 14 cents in one day, according to AAA, which is slightly lower than the national average of $4.

The cost of a gallon of mid-grade gas is $4.22, premium gas is $4.54 and diesel fuel is $4.51.

Prices are inching toward the highest average price set in Florida of $4.07 a gallon on July 16, 2008.

According to the fuel tracking site Gas Buddy, Florida prices are up 4.9 cents from Saturday's average of $3.95 per gallon.

Florida prices are up 50 cents over a week ago, 54 cents from one month ago and $1.30 from a year ago.

Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine has roiled the oil market, causing the global price of oil to spike and leading to higher pump prices in the United States, according to AAA. Gas prices have soared 18 cents since Wednesday and 29 cents since the invasion of Ukraine eight days ago, according to a CNN report.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas Sunday across Florida metro areas is:

• Bradenton-Sarasota: $3.95
• Daytona Beach: $3.96
• Fort Lauderdale: $3.97
• Fort Myers: $3.92
• Gainesville: $3.99
• Jacksonville: $3.93
• Lakeland: $3.91
• Miami: $3.96
• Orlando: $3.94
• Pensacola: $3.98
• Tallahassee: $3.92
• Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater: $3.92

“Motorists are feeling the pain at the pump and we’re still months away from the start of the peak summer driving season," said Ragina Cooper Ali, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "Although speculation can run awry, economic indicators continue to point to higher crude oil and gasoline prices for the remainder of winter and into spring.”

The increases mark the largest price hikes since Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, devastating the nation's oil and gas industry, according to CNN.

"This is not the end of it. We're already up another 14 cents on wholesale gas prices this morning," Tom Kloza, a global petroleum analyst, told CNN on Friday. "It's absolutely out of control.”

The price of a gallon of gas varies dramatically based on where you live. In California, the average price for a gallon of gas hit a staggering $5.07 on Friday, according to AAA, making it the first state ever to have an average price above $5 a gallon.

Meanwhile, if you live in Arkansas, a gallon of gas is only $3.45.

Overall, gas prices are up more than $1 from this time last year, according to GasBuddy.com.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Florida is $4, according to GasBuddy. That’s in line with the national average.

Currently, Florida is at the midpoint for gas prices in the nation, according to GasBuddy.