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Isaias’ effect on gas prices muted in the Panhandle

A motorist fills up the tank of a vehicle at a Costco warehouse Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Lone Tree, Colo.
David Zalubowski
/
AP

Some Panhandle counties continue to show lingering effects from Hurricane Isaias through gas prices, but others remain low more than a week after the storm swept through the area.

According to AAA, an average gallon of gas in Florida was $4.08 on Monday, 1 cent higher than a week earlier.

Diesel also moved back over the $6 a gallon mark last week in Florida after nearly two weeks under that figure.

The lowest prices are found in the Panhandle and other northern parts of the state, with Escambia County at $3.85 a gallon and Columbia County at $3.86.

But to the east of where Isaias made landfall near Destin on Oct. 9, Walton County was at $4.02 a gallon on Monday, with Washington County was at $4.10 and Holmes County was at $4.12. Usually, those counties are closer to figures displayed in Escambia County.

Otherwise, the storm had little impact on pump prices in Florida.

Up to about 70 percent of crude oil and natural gas production was shut down as Isaias moved north through the Gulf, but workers returned quickly after the storm made landfall.

Meanwhile, the highest averages in the state continue to be found in South Florida, with Monroe County and the Florida Keys at $4.39 a gallon.

AAA, giving little notice to the storm, noted that the fall months typically bring lower gas prices but volatility in the global oil market has led to seasonal record highs this year.

"Oil prices went back above $100 a barrel last week, which could trigger another round of rising prices at the pump this week,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a released statement.

A year ago, the state average was $2.90 a gallon.

The national average of $4.30 on Monday, was $1.26 per gallon more than a year ago.

Florida is also seeing signs of price-cycling the past couple of weeks, where station operators raise rates for a few days to make up lost revenue after artificially lower costs against nearby competition.

Florida’s average jumped to $4.23 in the middle of last week, similar to a mid-week jump to $4.19 a week earlier.

Diesel also spiked last week after dipping to $5.88 a gallon a week ago. Nationally, a gallon of diesel was $6.32 on Monday.

A year ago, the average price for a gallon of diesel in Florida was $3.57.

For motorists with electric vehicles, the average kilowatt hour cost at charging stations in Florida on Monday rounded down to 41 cents, mostly unchanged since early March. The national rate also remained at 42 cents a kilowatt hour. In Georgia, the average charge was 41 cents and in Alabama it was 42 cents.

Jim Turner - News Service of Florida
Jim Turner - News Service of Florida