Winter Storms Threaten U.S. Gas Prices

Upcoming winter storms in the U.S. Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions could exacerbate rising gasoline prices, which reached a national average of $3.63 per gallon on March 13, 2026. This potential increase follows a recent surge driven by U.S. military actions against Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by GasBuddy on March 9. The national average price increased from $3.32 on March 6 to $3.63 on March 13, 2026, and from $3.07 on March 13, 2025.

Historical data on gas prices during past winter storms indicates varied impacts. During a January-February 2026 storm affecting the East Coast, the national average price of gas was $2.87 per gallon, with prices before, immediately after, and one month later recorded at $2.89, $2.81, and $2.91 respectively. In December 2022, a storm across the Midwest, Great Lakes, and New England saw prices at $3.69 before, $3.21 immediately after, and $3.40 one month later.

Conversely, a March 2021 blizzard in the Pacific Northwest, Western U.S., Rocky Mountains, Midwest, and New England saw prices at $2.50 before, $2.81 immediately after, and $2.86 one month later. A January 2016 blizzard across multiple U.S. regions resulted in prices of $2.04 before, $1.95 immediately after, and $1.76 one month later. These historical trends suggest that while winter storms can influence gas prices, the direction and magnitude of the change are not uniform.