SWFL drivers see gas prices jump overnight

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FORT MYERS, Fla.- Southwest Florida residents are taking notice of an overnight jump in gas prices up to 20 cents per gallon.

“Paying $20 to fill up or $25 to fill, to paying up to $30 or $40 to fill up… it kind of puts a little dent in the pocket,” said Catherine Massie.

Drivers across the nation and locally are paying $1.79 a gallon as of Wednesday, according to AAA.

“Just came in from Pennsylvania and when I left Fort Myers, the gas was $1.64 and now I’m going to have to fill up and pay $1.79 at least,” John Warneke.

“I was really shocked. I went to pump gas at one gas station and I noticed it was really high,” Massie added.

AAA says pricing are rising because oil refineries are conducting seasonal maintenance, meaning they are producing less gasoline, and also because more people are hitting the road for spring break.

“Typically in the past, or the last five years, in March gas prices have gone anywhere from 25 to 27 cents increase each year,” said John Risk, an insurance manager for AAA.

“Always have an excuse, every year,” said Warneke who is not pleased with the price jump.

While drivers are seeing a price hike right now, GasBuddy.com is predicting gas should remain below $2 a gallon through the summer.

“Because we are going into the summer months, more travel, we see prices will continually rise from now until August,” Risk said. “So there will be a slow increase, it’s typical.”

On average, current gas prices are still 60 to 70 cents less a gallon than we were seeing last year.

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