Tropical Storm Isaac Expected to Cause Increase in Lisle Gas Prices

As tropical storm Isaac intensifies and threatens the Gulf Coast with significant storm surge and hurricane force winds, oil companies with refineries in Louisiana have started to evacuate employees and shut-down operations.

The result will likely mean higher gasoline prices for drivers throughout the country, including Lisle.

AAA is reporting that it is likely drivers across the country will experience higher gas prices as a result of the tropical storm heading toward the Gulf Coast.

Roughly 1.3 billion barrels a day or 8 percent of the country’s refining capacity was taken offline in preparation of Isaac making landfall in Louisiana, according to a story on the Wall Street Journal Monday.

Prices could rise another 10 cents in the coming week, according to a story on CNN Money. 

The nationwide average price of gasoline on Monday was $3.75 a gallon, according to AAA. Closer to home, the agency said the average gallon of gas in Illinois was $3.988. 

According to ChicagoGasPrices.com, powered by GasBuddy.com, the cheapest gas in the Lisle area Monday night was at , 550 Ogden Ave., where a gallon of regular gas was $4.07.

That price is high, compared to Speedway stations in Glen Ellyn and Naperville, where the price was $3.96 Monday afternoon. In Glen Ellyn, the Speedway is at 22W275 North Ave.; in Naperville, 1712 W. Ogden Ave.

The National Hurricane Center has predicted that the tropical storm will become a hurricane on Tuesday with 74 to 95 mph winds. It is expected to hit from an area southwest of New Orleans to the edge of Florida's panhandle.

Tropical Storm Isaac targeted a broad swath of the Gulf Coast on Monday, bearing down just ahead of the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The potential for a landfall as a Category 2 hurricane as soon as Tuesday prompted evacuations along a wide area of the Gulf Coast and sent people out to stock up on staples.

Written by Mary Ann Lopez

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