Gas prices have jumped more than 60 cents in the Bloomington-Normal area in the last week as the war in Iran remains at a stalemate.
The fuel cost tracker Gas Buddy said the average cost of regular unleaded in McLean County is $4.82 per gallon, up from $4.20 last week.
Gas Buddy lead analyst Patrick De Haan said the spike in the Great Lakes region is driven by refinery outages in combination with the ongoing war in Iran.
“While refinery outages were a key driver behind those outsized increases, early signs of improvement could help ease some of the most extreme price pressures in the Great Lakes in the days ahead,” he said.
De Haan said several factors could help restore some oil supply, including OPEC+ nations agreeing to increase production and the new U.S. mission to free ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
“With so many moving pieces, the outlook remains highly fluid, and while some localized relief may emerge, broader price volatility is likely to persist in the near term,” he said.
The average prices in McLean County is $0.10 below the state average. The national average is $4.45 per gallon.
