Hurricane Isaac Expected to Cause Steep Gas Price Hike

With Tropical Storm Isaac's new status as a hurricane, gas prices are expected to skyrocket by this time next week.

The hurricane, which is currently ripping across the Gulf of Mexico, will shut down offshore oil rigs, says the American Automobile Association, resulting in an increase in retail gas prices.

The National Hurricane Center announced at 12:20 p.m. Eastern time that Isaac had reached Category 1 hurricane strength, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. The winds of a tropical storm range from 39 to 73 mph.

The cheapest unleaded gas available in the Mayfield-Hillcrest area as of Tuesday afternoon is $3.66 a gallon. This price is available at Lang's Marathon, 5994 Mayfield Rd. and at True North Energy, 6411 Mayfield Rd.

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 1 hurricane prompted evacuations along a wide area of the Gulf Coast and sent people out to stock up on staples.