As Hurricane Isaac intensifies and threatens the Gulf Coast with significant storm surge and hurricane force winds, oil companies with refineries in Louisiana have started to evacuate employees and shut-down operations.

The result will likely mean higher gasoline prices for Niles and Morton Grove-area drivers.

AAA is reporting that it is likely drivers across the country will experience higher gas prices as a result of the tropical storm heading toward the Gulf Coast.

Roughly 1.3 billion barrels a day or 8 percent of the country’s refining capacity was taken offline in preparation of Isaac making landfall in Louisiana, according to a story on the Wall Street Journal Monday.

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Prices could rise another 10 cents in the coming week, according to a story on CNN Money. 

The nationwide average price of gasoline on Monday was $3.75 a gallon, according to AAA. Closer to home, the agency said the average gallon of gas in Illinois was $3.988. 

The cheapest gas around the area Wednesday morning was at the  BP at Howard Street and Milwaukee Avenue, Niles, where gas was $4.09. Thornton's station on Touhy just east of Greenwood, Park Ridge, where a gallon of gas was $4.14. Other area stations were charging about $4.20 per gallon. 

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