Prices at Florida pumps jump after holiday week

Motorists in Florida saw the average price of gasoline leap after demand during the Fourth of July holiday.

The AAA auto club said Monday that a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida cost $3.46, up from $3.27 a week earlier. The West Palm Beach and Naples areas had the highest average prices, while the lowest prices were in the Panhandle.

“Last week’s jump at the pump came immediately after Independence Day, when AAA forecast a record number of Floridians would take a road trip for the holiday,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a prepared statement. “Fortunately, oil prices remain low. Unless that changes this week, the upward pressure on gas prices should ease soon.”

The Energy Information Administration estimated gas demand increased 3.1% last week while domestic gasoline stocks decreased slightly.

The state’s average price remains below the year’s high of $3.72 a gallon in April.

While holiday demand affected prices at the pump in Florida, the national average held at $3.54 over the past week.