Carolinas’ gas prices closing in on highest average in two years after Harvey

Hurricane Harvey is still affecting prices at the pump as Hurricane Irma tracks closer to the United States.

Some pipelines that had to take precautionary shutdowns due to Hurricane Harvey are in the process of coming back online, such as the Colonial Pipeline, or have already started back up, according to AAA Carolinas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association.

Gulf Coast refineries are in the process of restarting after Harvey closed, at its peak, 27 percent of the U.S. processing capacity, AAA Carolinas reports. At least four refineries are operating at reduced rates, though none have returned to normal.

Since Harvey first slammed Texas, the statewide average gas price in South Carolina has risen 42 cents to $2.53 and 40 cents to $2.63 in North Carolina.

Gas prices are close to reaching $2.67, the highest for a gallon of gas in the U.S. in more than two years, AAA Carolinas reports.

Prices could increase by another 5 to 10 cents in the next week, but are expected to drop at the end of September. Trends will depend on what happens with Hurricane Irma.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Carolinas’ gas prices closing in on highest average in two years after Harvey."