As Harvey continues to blast Texas and the Gulf Coast with heavy rains, inflicting some of the worst flooding in history in the Houston area, gas prices are climbing in many parts of the country.
Reduced fuel supplies due to the storm, along with the expected increase in demand due to the Labor Day weekend are putting upward pressure on pump prices. For the week, the national average for regular unleaded adds four cents to $2.38. This is one of the largest one-week price surges for the national average seen this summer. The Oregon average gains two-and-a-half cents to $2.84.
“Pump prices in Oregon and the West Coast aren’t seeing significant increases in gas prices due to Harvey since we don’t depend on the Gulf Coast for our gasoline,” says AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds. “Price spikes aren’t expected in Oregon because pump prices here already climbed due to significant demand surrounding the August 21 eclipse. However it’s reasonable to expect prices to increase a few cents more leading up to the Labor Day weekend.
Prices in all 50 states and the District of Columbia increased in the last week. The largest jumps are in Ohio (+9 cents) and Georgia (+8 cents). Texas has the fifth largest weekly increase at 6 cents.
Oregon has the third-largest monthly increase in the nation and is one of 48 states and the District of Columbia to see pump prices rise in the last month. The largest monthly increases are in Idaho (+23 cents), Utah (+18 cents) and Oregon (+18 cents). Michigan and Indiana are the only states where prices fell in the last month and both decreases are two cents or less. The national average is seven cents more and the Oregon average is 18 cents more than a month ago.
