TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Effects from the U.S. ban on Russian oil are being felt across the country and in Tampa Bay. The price of gas in Florida rose $0.15 overnight.
"I'm gas-guzzling," Ken Devaul said as he spent more than $50 filling up his car tank at a gas station in Tampa, Florida. "I've got to get to work somehow, right?"
Devaul, like many others, is feeling the pain at the pumps in recent days. Numbers reported by AAA show the average price of gas per gallon in Florida rose nearly $0.65 in the past week and $0.20 in just the past two days.
In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, drivers can expect to pay about $4.13 per gallon while in Pasco and Manatee they should plan to pony up a few more pennies on the gallon.
"I mean, that's a significant increase that I'm sure just blows people's minds whenever they drive past a gas station and they see a price at the pump and they're just taken aback by it," Mark Jenkins, spokesperson for AAA, said.
Jenkins said the sudden rise in gas prices is in direct response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. With continued turmoil in Eastern Europe, he said, Tampa Bay drivers should prepare for even higher prices at the pump.
"It can be real sticker shock," he said.
"I wanted to be full because I don't know what it's going to be tomorrow," April Kruger said while pumping gas in Tampa.
With the SEC Tournament tipping off at Amalie Arena on Wednesday, and Spring Break travel next week, Jenkins said he would not be surprised if the price of gas jumped another $0.20 soon.
"It really is wait and see," he said. "There's so much volatility in the market and a lot of unknowns."
Visit Tampa Bay told ABC Action News there are no signs of record-high gas prices slowing down Spring Break travel. A spokesperson said:
"We don't expect the gas price increase to have any short-term effect on our visitation. Booking forecasts are very strong, and we are close to capacity at many of our hotels."
