Average US gas price jumps after Harvey shuts refineries

The average price of diesel jumped 16 cents to $2.73 per gallon. (PNA photo)

CAMARILLO, Calif.—The average price of gasoline jumped in the past two weeks after Hurricane Harvey prompted the closure of refineries.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday that it was the biggest price hike recorded by the Lundberg Survey since 2011.

But she says whole gasoline prices have started to decline since refineries came back online and she expects prices at the pump will follow.

In the survey on Sept. 8, the average price of regular gasoline was up 30 cents at $2.69 per gallon. That’s 48 cents higher than a year ago.

The average price of diesel jumped 16 cents to $2.73 per gallon.

In the contiguous United States, gas was most expensive in San Francisco at $3.21 a gallon and cheapest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $2.31 a gallon.