Gas prices increase, consumers fill up ahead of storm

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - As tropical storm Isaac marched through the Gulf of Mexico, gas prices in Gulf Coast states showed an increase across the board.

“We probably had 100 people come in yesterday to fill up gas tanks. They (the prices) always go up after a hurricane,” said James Walerop.

Walerop works at the Shell gas station on Montlimar Drive and Tuesday morning, it ran out of plus and premium gasoline.

Other gas stations also had trouble on Tuesday. The Raceway gas station located on Government Street lost power in the early afternoon, something Craig Cook found out when he pulled in to fill up.

Cook packed up his family and left Biloxi for Mobile.

“Ever since Katrina, we try to leave. Our main problem is the surge, the water coming in with the heavy rain,” Cook said.

Some in the Mobile area are staying put and preparing. They’re buying nonperishable food items and extra gasoline for generators and say they don’t mind the increasing price.

“I believe it will go back down after the hurricane,” said a Mobile resident.

Clay Ingram with AAA said the price is “going to depend on what the impact of the hurricane is. If there isn’t much damage, we will see a pretty quick turn around and once we get Labor

Day behind us, we should see the prices drop then as well.”

Tuesday, AAA reported the average gas price in Alabama was $3.58/gallon. That's up two cents from yesterday’s average of $3.56 and seven cents higher than last week's $3.51/gallon.

PHOTOS: Prepping for Isaac

In Florida, the average of $3.75 a gallon. That price didn't fluctuate between Monday and Tuesday but did rise about ten cents since last week.

Mississippi is currently averaging $3.56 a gallon and Louisiana is eight cents higher at $3.64/gallon.  

“Anytime we have a tropical storm or hurricane like this, where they have to shut down some of the refineries and the pumping platforms for safety reasons, it’s going to have an impact on our gas prices,” Ingram said.

He said it’s likely there will be a 20-30 cent per gallon increase in the next few days.