Hurricane Michael Not Expected to Impact Gas Prices

AAA: HURRICANE MICHAEL SHOULD NOT CAUSE GAS PRICE SPIKE

TAMPA, Fla., (October 8, 2018) — AAA does not currently expect Hurricane Michael to have a direct impact on gasoline supplies or prices at the pump in Florida. The hurricane's projected path (as of this afternoon) directs the storm east of most oil drilling rigs and refineries along the gulf coast. This eases concerns of significant refinery and rig shutdowns, which would otherwise cause prices to rise.

A State of Emergency is in effect for 35 Florida counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Columbia, Hamilton, Suwanee, Lafayette, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, Citrus, Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Alachua, Union, Bradford and Baker.

The State of Emergency limits the amount a retailer can raise the price on commodities like gasoline. If there is a "gross disparity" between the current price and what the retailer charged during a 30-day period prior to the storm, it is considered "price gouging" and should be reported to the Attorney General's office via the Price Gouging Hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or online at http://myfloridalegal.com. During the past 30 days, Florida's average price for a gallon of gasoline ranged from $2.72 - $2.82 per gallon. Check today's daily average price in Florida.

Retailers are able to raise prices if the market dictates (if the price for retailers to obtain the gasoline increases). An example of this would be rising prices of wholesale gasoline due to gains in the stock market. This afternoon, oil and gasoline prices are trending lower on the NYMEX. Oil is trading below $74/b – $2.5 below the highs we saw last week. Meanwhile, RBOB gasoline is 5 cents less than last week's high.

So at this point, there is not significant upward pressure on prices at the pump. However, things can change quickly as the storm approaches. We will continue to send updates when applicable.

Find Local Gas Prices

• Daily national, state, and metro gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.aaa.com
• Motorists can find the lowest gas prices on their smartphone or tablet with the free AAA Mobile app. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance.

	Sunday	Saturday	Week Ago	Month Ago	One Year Ago	Highest Price on Record
National	$2.914	$2.914	$2.877	$2.849	$2.499	$4.11 (7/17/2008)
Florida	$2.817	$2.819	$2.816	$2.772	$2.539	$4.08 (7/17/2008)
Click here to view current gasoline price averages

About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9.6 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 59 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. Visit AAA on the Internet at AAA.com.