Hurricane Isaac Causes Steep Increase in Stow Gas Prices

Officials from AAA said oil platforms and pipelines were shut off in preparation for Hurricane Issac to hit and that is causing gas prices to increase in Ohio — 1,000 miles away from the hurricane.

AAA's state-by-state estimate of gas prices showed Wednesday that Ohio had the biggest one-day jump in price in the nation — a 13.9 cent increase to $3.878 a gallon. 

The cheapest unleaded gas available in Stow as of Wednesday afternoon was $3.90 per gallon, at , Circle K and BP, which means gas prices could go as high or higher than $4 by Sept. 3.

The National Hurricane Center has predicted that the hurricane will produce winds of up to 95 mph.

"Preparations for the storm meant oil platforms and pipelines in the Gulf region were shut, cutting off the normal flow of oil to refineries in the Midwest," reported CNN Money. 

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 as soon as Tuesday prompted evacuations along a wide area of the Gulf Coast and sent people out to stock up on supplies. 

Isaac was classified as a Category 1 on Aug. 28, 2012 by the National Weather Service. 

To keep tabs on gas prices in and around Stow, continue to check the Stow Patch Commute Tab.