Florida gas prices down ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia but contaminated gas cause woes
Florida officials warned consumers Sunday that drivers along the Gulf Coast may have purchased gas contaminated with diesel fuel over the weekend as many began preparations for what could be Florida’s first major hurricane of the season as Tropical Storm Idalia continues to strengthen.
Officials say that any fuel purchased after 10 a.m. on Saturday at stations supplied by Citgo from the Port of Tampa has a strong likelihood of being contaminated with diesel fuel.
The contamination was caused by “human error” at the Port of Tampa, according to the department.
Residents along the Gulf Coast are not likely to be impacted, however.
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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released the following list of stations affected:
Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota
Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota
7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral
BJ's Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
BJ's Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers
Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva
Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte
7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
BJ's Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes
Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson
7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville
Big Dan's Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs
7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday
7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia
JHW #310 - DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon
AL Prime - Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach
Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla
2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa
Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa
The agency noted that under state and federal law, FDACS must rely upon CITGO to provide the list of impacted gas stations. Consumers should be aware that the company may update this list. FDACS will also update this list as necessary as of result of increased fuel testing in the impacted areas.
Florida gas prices down but could rebound due to contaminated gas, Tropical Storm Idalia
Florida gas prices took a dip last week, which is a welcome development following 2023 record prices earlier in the month. But demand following contaminated gas and Tropical Storm Idalia could cause another bump.
The average price of regular unleaded gas Monday in Florida was $3.70, down 11 cents from a week earlier. Data from the Energy Information Administration showed demand for gas jumped 0.7 percent last week, which was offset by a slight increase in the overall domestic gasoline stock.
Trading in oil continues to hover around $80 a barrel, a price that could go lower as concerns about an economic slowdown in China, the world’s largest importer of crude oil, could push global demand down. Florida’s average price Monday was 2 cents higher than a month ago and 9 cents higher than a year ago.
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Pensacola not likely to be impacted by Tropical Storm Idalia
Tropical Storm Idalia continued to strengthen over the weekend and is expected to become a “dangerous major hurricane” before it makes landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane watches have been issued from Englewood to Indian Pass, which includes Tampa Bay. The storm’s “cone of uncertainty,” which tracks the eye of the storm’s potential path, encompasses as far west as Apalachicola.
Tropical Storm Idalia is not expected to significantly impact the Pensacola area, though officials warn of the continued increase for life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds along portions of the west coast of Florida and other parts of the Florida Panhandle beginning as early as late Tuesday.
There is always potential for the storm’s path to swing, so Pensacola residents should make sure their hurricane supply kits are stocked so they aren’t caught off guard from any sudden changes.
Tropical Storm Idalia: What you need to know as it approaches Florida
Location: 90 miles south of the western tip of Cuba; 470 miles southwest of Naples
Exact location: 20.6 N and 85.2 W
Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph
Movement: north at 8 mph
Pressure: 989 mb
Next advisory: 11 a.m.
At 8 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Idalia was located 470 miles southwest of Naples. Idalia is moving toward the north near 8 mph. A northward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a faster north-northeast motion on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On the forecast track, the center of Idalia is forecast to pass near or over western Cuba tonight, over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday, and reach the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph, with higher gusts. Idalia is forecast to become a hurricane later today and a dangerous major hurricane over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.
The latest minimum central pressure estimated from data from an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is 989 mb.
Contributors: Cheryl McCloud -- USA Today Network-Florida
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida gas contamination, Tropical Storm Idalia could jump gas prices
