We're at the beginning of what forecasters predict will be a busy hurricane season -- and it's also summer driving season. What will that do to the price of gas?
Predictions alone won't drive up gas prices, but a storm in the gulf, especially if it's expected to pass near offshore platforms, or hit where there are a lot of refineries, will have an effect.
"There's no doubt that it affects the price of gas immediately," said AAA's Don Redman.
Redman says that gas station owners, however, are inclined to eat that cost.
"A lot of service stations suppress that real demand, suppress the prices, largely because they're afraid of being prosecuted for profiteering," he explained.
Redman says weeks to months after the storm's gone, higher prices may persist.
"That's when you see some of the more, real reflection of what those prices are," he said, as service station owners try to make up for the losses incurred right before the storm.
Today's average gasoline price in New Orleans is just about what we were paying a year ago, but more than two dollars less than we saw two years ago around this time.
Regular
Current Avg. $3.127
Yesterday Avg. $3.145
Week Ago Avg. $3.169
Month Ago Avg. $3.240
Year Ago Avg. $3.119
HIGHEST RECORDED AVERAGE PRICE
Regular $4.533 6/14/22
