Gas Prices Surge Higher, Thanks Harvey
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - You may have noticed that gas prices at your corner station have spiked in the last week.
In some cases, they seemingly shot up 10 to 15 cents a gallon overnight.
Thanks Harvey.
Gas prices have risen nationwide on fears of shortages in Texas and other states in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey's strike on the Gulf Coast.
In the Miami metro area, the price of unleaded was $2.54 a gallon on Friday, according to AAA. On Thursday, it was only $2.45 a gallon and we started the week at $2.32.
In the Ft. Lauderdale metro area, that same gallon cost $2.53 on Friday, near a dime less on Thursday and $2.32 at the start of the week.
Statewide, unleaded is averaging $2.50 a gallon on Friday, compared to $2.31 a gallon a week ago. Mid-grade on Friday was averaging $2.72 and premium was hovering near $3 a gallon.
The most expensive place to fill up in the state is West Palm Beach. Unleaded is running $2.59 a gallon, mid-grade is $2.83 and premium will run you $3.08.
The cheapest place for gas is the Tampa area where unleaded is averaging $2.46 a gallon.
The price hikes are due to two major pipelines, one that ships gasoline across the southern United States and to New York and another that flows north to Chicago, that have been slowed or stopped because of flooding and damage.
Gas prices rose at least 15 cents in 24 hours in several metropolitan areas including Dallas; El Paso, Texas; Athens, Georgia; and Dayton, Ohio, AAA reported Friday.
The average price of a gallon of gas had soared by at least .10 cents in eight states since Thursday: South Carolina, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Texas.
Among those states, the highest 24-hour rise on average was in South Carolina, AAA reported. It's among several southern states that are heavily reliant on the Colonial Pipeline for deliveries of gasoline.
Part of the pipeline that runs through Texas is shut down and inspections must be done before the entire system can be fully operational again, Colonial Pipeline spokesman Steve Baker said Thursday. The Georgia-based company remains able to operate its pipeline from Louisiana to states east and northeast of there, though deliveries will be "intermittent," the company said. It hopes to return more sections of the pipeline to service by Sunday.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
