Experts warn a higher price cycle could last weeks amid oil supply fears and peak spring demand.

TAMPA, Fla. — With travel increasing in and out of the Tampa Bay area and more visitors expected in the coming weeks thanks to spring break, travel experts say the conflict in Iran could affect what drivers pay at the pump.

Gas prices in the region rose sharply on Monday, reflecting growing uncertainty in global oil markets as the war entered its third day.

Gas at a station in St. Petersburg on Monday morning was $2.73. By 5:00 p.m. that same day, it had jumped to $3.19. That’s nearly 50 cents more — in a single day.

At least one Saudi oil refinery has temporarily shut down after being targeted by Iranian drones, according to CBS News.

While experts say it is still too early to know how far prices could climb, the uncertainty is already affecting drivers.

Tom Ownby of Carrollwood spent more than $74 filling up his 2019 Chevy Silverado today.

“I kind of wish I went last night and got it because I knew the prices were going to go up,” Ownby said at a gas pump in Tampa. “It looks like they probably went up anywhere from 20 to 30 cents a gallon and probably going to go up a little bit more I’d guess. We’ll see how quickly this thing gets taken care of.”

Ownby, who has four children and owns his own business, said driving is a necessity.

“I’ve got four kids. There is a lot of traveling too with work. I have my own business. With them, picking them up from school, I’ve got 50/50 custody, so I put a lot of miles on the car. So, it adds up,” he said.

Drivers elsewhere are also feeling the impact. Joe Lococo, visiting from Canton, Ohio, paid $2.50 per gallon over the weekend.

“It could have went up in Ohio. That was two days ago. So I would imagine it probably went up. We also got that at like a Costco, where it’s a little bit cheaper,” he said.

Others say rising gas prices can shift consumer behavior.

“It benefits me because I’m in the bike business. I’ve been doing it 30 years, managing motorcycle dealerships. So when the gas gets high, we sell more bikes because they’re better fuel economy,” Lococo said.

Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA, urged motorists not to jump too quickly to conclusions.

“I think that ultimately it’s just, don’t panic. It’s still too early to know how much of an impact this is going to have on prices at the pump,” Jenkins said.

He noted that gas prices typically rise on Mondays before gradually trickling down through the week, only to climb again. However, the timing of the conflict could intensify the seasonal surge.

“This situation is happening at a time when gas prices tend to be at their highest for the year. March, April, this is a time of year when we have the spring breakers. The winter residents are still in town. So gasoline demand is at an all-time high for the year,” Jenkins said.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. is not stopping military operations, which will continue until ‘all of our objectives are achieved.'” The president predicted that it could be four weeks or less.

Jenkins said the broader concern centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It’s a critical oil transit route.

“I think it really all depends on how long this conflict plays out and to what extent it has an impact on the Strait of Hormuz. That’s an area where about 20% of the world’s oil flows through. If that area is cut off. What happens then?” Jenkins said.

He said prices remain well below the $120-per-barrel levels seen when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Currently, oil is trading at about $70 a barrel.

Still, travel experts warned that while prices often ease after early-week increases, the baseline could remain elevated as long as the conflict continues.

For drivers looking to save, membership-based stations such as Costco typically run 5 to 25 cents cheaper per gallon than local stations.

For real-time locations of the lowest gas prices in Tampa, go here.