Gas price hikes to be minimal in Arizona despite Hurricane Ida effects, expert says
Aug 30, 2021, 12:30 PM | Updated: 2:52 pm
PHOENIX — An oil industry expert said Monday that gas prices aren’t expected to rise much in Arizona over the coming weeks due to effects from Hurricane Ida, which rocked Louisiana over the weekend.
GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan predicted that few disruptions would be present outside of the area affected by Ida, leading to prices rising up to 15 cents per gallon, at most, in the state.
De Haan said that if increases come, they’ll start to be seen either Tuesday or Wednesday.
“Across Arizona, gas prices may start inching higher as a result of the hurricane, though the price increases may be measured more in pennies than nickels or dimes,” De Haan told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
Arizona’s average of $3.14 per gallon slightly outpaces the national average of $3.12 per gallon, according to Gas Buddy statistics as of Monday.
Ida made landfall on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 150 mph, making it the fifth-strongest storm to hit the mainland.
Price hikes would likely occur only if crews found unexpected significant damage to the area’s gas supply, according to De Haan.
“Motorists need not hit the panic button just yet,” De Haan said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
