Pain at the pump: Area gas prices at a 20-month high

As temperatures climb in the spring, gas prices usually follow, and this year has been no exception.

So much so, prices in the Bradenton-Sarasota area and across Florida are at their highest since August 2015.

According to auto group AAA’s daily fuel tracker, drivers in the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice region were paying an average of $2.44 per gallon for regular unleaded on Monday, a 20-month high.

Even with a one-cent drop from over the weekend, area prices were four cents higher than a week ago, 14 cents more expensive than a month ago and 41 cents pricier than a year ago.

And as Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer approach, drivers shouldn’t expect too much relief, especially considering oil prices are up about 12 percent in the past month.

“This summer is going to be more expensive than last summer, no doubt,” said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for Gasbuddy.com.

A sliver of good news: DeHaan noted that prices might not rise to the $2.70-$2.80 per gallon that Gasbuddy had projected earlier this year.

The Gasbuddy.com daily survey of more than 300 area outlets had Manatee County stations averaging $2.45 per gallon on Monday, while Sarasota County outlets were at $2.43. That compares favorably with nearby Hillsborough ($2.45) and Pinellas ($2.45) counties.

“Motorists should expect continued volatility in the next couple of months as oil prices fluctuate, demand rises, and refineries complete the switchover to more expensive summer blends,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said.

The state average on Monday was $2.46, above the national average of $2.42.

Not surprisingly, South Florida continues to have the state’s most-expensive metro markets, led by West Palm Beach/Boca Raton ($2.54), Fort Lauderdale ($2.48) and Miami ($2.47).

Pensacola ($2.40) has the state’s least-expensive average.

This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Pain at the pump: Area gas prices at a 20-month high."