Hurricane Harvey to impact gas prices in Beaufort County, here’s what you can expect

While Hurricane Harvey inundates the Texas Gulf Coast, its physical effects won’t be felt in most of the country. Where Harvey will hit people nationwide, though, is in their wallets, as gas prices will go up because of the storm, CNN Money reports.

Texas is vital to American oil production, with the Gulf Coast responsible for nearly a quarter of total U.S. crude oil production and nearly half of total U.S. petroleum refining capacity, reports CNN Money.

Those oil rigs, platforms and processing facilities are directly in Harvey’s path and most have been shut down and evacuated. The drop in production will be met with a corresponding price increase at the pump, according to CNN Money.

The national average for a gallon of gas is expected to increase by up to10 cents by Thursday, CNN Money reports. The areas likely to be hit with the brunt of the increases will be in the South, Southeast, and mid-Atlantic according to Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, a gas price tracker that can be updated by motorists online or using a cell phone app.

The average price for a gallon of gas today on Hilton Head Island rounds to $2.09 according to GasBuddy. In Bluffton the average is $2.04, in Hardeeville it is $2.07, while in Beaufort it is $2.10.

Savannah is the nearest city to Beaufort County that GasBuddy has historical data for, and they already show an increase of a little over a cent per gallon in the last couple days.

Harvey’s impact on gas prices could last anywhere from a week to two weeks, and possibly longer, advises GasBuddy.

This story was originally published August 26, 2017 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Hurricane Harvey to impact gas prices in Beaufort County, here’s what you can expect."