Gas costs up, with Palm Beach on top

‘Most expensive summer gas in 4 years’ possible in county.

Brace your wallets. Prices have popped to three-year highs at the gas pump.

Florida’s statewide average of $2.74 per gallon marked the highest since December 2014, according to motorist organization AAA. It costs $5 more to fill the average Florida tank than it did a year ago.

Palm Beach County holds the dubious honor of leading the state with an average of $2.86, by AAA’s count.

That puts a premium on shopping around. In Jupiter, prices ranged from $2.74 at Mobil and Circle K stations on Indiantown Road to $2.99 at Chevron on the same road and Sunoco on Old Dixie Highway, according to pricetracker Gas-Buddy as of Monday afternoon.

Blame high oil prices, said AAA

spokesman Mark Jenkins.

“The price of oil is about 25 percent more than last year, as what used to be a global supply glut is now tightening,” Jenkins said.

Gas prices are likely to hit their annual peak within the next couple of weeks if they are not there already, Jenkins said.

On Monday, oil prices pulled back modestly as a count of U.S. oil rigs rose, but have been on an uphill climb generally amid global tension san def for ts by oil- producing countries overseas to

tighten production. Intensified conflict in the Middle East ora nearly storm in the Gulf of Mexico could push prices higher still, but the bottom line is “travelers will likely fifind the most expensive summer gas prices in four years,” Jenkins said.

Florida ranks 20th among the states for the most expensive gas. Of course, it could be worse. In 2008, Florida’s average peaked at $4.08.

In Wellington, prices Monday afternoon ranged from $2.77 at a Shell on State Road 7 near Southern Boulevard and a Marathon on SR 7 near Pierson Road to $2.99 at Shell stations on Welling- ton Trace and South Shore Boulevard, according to GasBuddy.

In West Palm Beach, the low-price leader clocked in with $2.67 a gallon at Sam’s Club on 45th Street. At the

other extreme, $3.09 was reported at a Texaco on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

In Delray Beach, reported prices ranged from $2.76 at Murphy USA on Military Trail to $3.15 at two Shell stations on Linton Boulevard.