If possible, hold off filling up gas tank before Memorial Day weekend in NE FL

Memorial day weekend is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year in the United States, and is the unofficial kick off for summer. Before leaving the First Coast, Patrick DeHann, Petroleum Analyst for GasBuddy.com, says avoid filling up your gas tank if you can.

“By the time you get back, uh, early next week prices may be a couple of cents lower.” DeHann says.

Right now according to GasBuddy.com the lowest price for gas in Jacksonville is 2.68 a gallon at the Sam’s Club on Youngerman Circle near Blanding Blvd. and over the last week the average price of gas in the River City has gone up by more than 9 cents.

DeHann says we are paying 61 cents a gallon more this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year.

He says Florida is one of the priciest states when it comes to the gas tax and suggests if your going out of state to fill up before heading back to Florida.

“Georgia should be about 10 cents a gallon lower, if you’re coming from Alabama the taxes there are about 20 cents a gallon less.” DeHann says.

Looking ahead to the summer DeHann says it could be one of the more painful summers at the pump in the last few years. He says he will be watching the results of two major world events to see what the future may hold. One of them is if OPEC decides to increase production at their June meeting and if allies of the U.S. will pull out of the Iran Nuclear Deal similar to what President Trump did earlier this month.

“So far the Iran situation is not really driving prices up, but there is potential if our partners follow us that it could be a very painful summer.” DeHann says.

Right now, in Jacksonville the average price of gas is 2.89 a gallon, in Clay and St. Johns Counties its 2.88, Baker is 2.86, and Nassau is 2.84 according to GasBuddy.com.