What happened to gas prices last week? The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular in Florida dropped another 11 cents and was $3.22 on Monday, travel club AAA reported in its weekly gas price update.

How does that compare to a year ago? It’s 14 cents less than a year ago and matches 2023’s lowest price (so far) recorded on March 6.

What are gas prices in South Florida? Broward County: $3.28. Palm Beach County: $3.44. Miami-Dade County: $3.32.

Why are South Florida’s prices higher than the rest of the state? There’s a higher cost of doing business here.

Why are gas prices falling? Two reasons, according to AAA. People drive less in the fall, after the weather cools and school is back in session. That reduces demand, which causes gas stations to compete for customers. Also, gasoline refineries have completed their switch to a winter fuel blend, which is cheaper than the summer blend.

What’s going to happen this week? Gas prices might have hit bottom and are heading up, says AAA. The crisis in the Middle East has fueled an increase in oil prices, as a barrel of U.S.-produced crude climbed, from $81.28 a barrel on Oct. 6, the day before Hamas invaded Israel, to more than $87 in early trading on Monday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Gasoline futures also rose 11 cents a gallon last week, for a total increase of nearly 20 cents in two weeks.

Is that the only outlook? No. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at the price-comparison website GasBuddy.com, sees further declines before prices bottom out between Thanksgiving and Christmas, thanks to weakening demand as winter sets in through much of the country. But De Haan was predicting further reductions from the national average of $3.50.

What about diesel? Diesel is important because it’s what fuels trucks that deliver all of the goods we purchase in stores. That price rose 3.8 cents last week to a national average of $4.48 — still 82 cents a gallon lower than a year ago.

Where can I find the cheapest gas in South Florida? GasBuddy’s real-time price comparison chart reveals that the lowest prices in the state are here in Broward and Miami-Dade counties right now.

In Broward County, Cumberland Farms at 301 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale was selling at $2.87 a gallon, followed by seven stations selling for $2.95 on Oakland Park Boulevard in Oakland Park and State Road 7 in Lauderdale Lakes.

In Miami-Dade, Exxon at 7550 NW 186th St. in Hialeah was selling for $2.84 and just down the street, Mobil at 7520 NW 186th St. was selling for $2.85. Three other stations in Hialeah were selling for $2.89.

In Palm Beach County, drivers should head to Jog Road in Lake Worth and Greenacres. The cheapest gas in the county could be found for $2.97 at Mobil, 7031 Jog Road in Lake Worth. Several nearby stations on Jog Road were selling for $2.99 and the same price could be found on Lake Worth Road.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at .