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Bust out those sunglasses, it’s time for a vacation! Be sure to take advantage of lower gas prices while you can, because Mother Nature is getting angry. Prices will drop once hurricane season starts firing on all cylinders. 

Lower gas prices won’t stay for long 

You may have finally noticed that lower gas prices have finally arrived. Prices tend to drop in the summer as demand decreases and oil prices drop. This is great news for those filling up large trucks and SUVs for family vacations. 

For example, the national average for a gallon of fuel has dropped by an entire nickel for last week, to $3.56. Five cents may not seem like a huge difference, but it’s the largest one-week drop so far in 2024. 

Prices tend to drop after Memorial Day weekend and many locations washed of the Rockies have prices under $3 a gallon. 

But according to GasPrices.AAA, it’s time to look at the weather forecast as Mother Nature fires up the Atlantic Hurricane season. It starts on June 1 and ends on November 30. 

A man putting gas in his SUV
Refueling the car at a gas station fuel pump | iStock

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal season with a range of 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 mpg or higher. 

If a storm impacts the Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers then prices could temporarily rise. The Gulf Coast accounts for roughly half of the United State’s refining capacity. It’s crucial for producing refined gasoline and diesel fuel. 

But hurricanes can disrupt production and damage rigs. While the rigs are built to withstand the ocean’s relentless fury, hurricanes can be disastrous for oil rigs and offshore oil platforms. Sometimes they even cause massive oil spills.

Hurricane Katrina caused seven to eight million gallons of oil to spill throughout the region and destroyed 46 oil platforms. 

The first storm is already on its way. Tropical storm Alberto is expected to make landfall in Northern Mexico on Wednesday, June 19. It could turn into a cyclone by then. 

Lower gas prices are already in danger as the first of many storms is already on the way, so take advantage while you still can.

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Staff Writer

Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.