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Gas Prices Still Around $4 A Gallon After Labor Day

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Gas prices usually drop after Labor Day, but some Twin Cities drivers have been paying around $4 per gallon this week for regular unleaded fuel.

Experts say some relief is coming, According to AAA, Wednesday's average price is around the metro is  $3.91 per gallon. Tuesday's average price was $3.88 a gallon. The average price a week ago was $3.80 a gallon.

At this BP in Falcon Heights Wednesday morning, the price for a gallon of unleaded is selling for $3.99 a gallon. But there is some relief for drivers this morning after some stations were selling for more than $4 a gallon.

One Shell station in Arden Hills was selling for $3.99 a gallon, but many Twin Cities stations have already started to drop to about $3.89 a gallon. Officials say the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac is getting some of the blame for the increase in gas prices. Oil refineries along the Gulf Coast were shut down during the storm two weeks ago.

"Any time that you have any potential or a disruption of anything from getting oil out of the ground to getting it to the refineries to getting it to the retailers and ultimately into your vehicle, any time you have a disruption or potential disruption of that change of events, you're going to see prices trend upward," said Matt Hehl with AAA.

But prices were expected to fall quickly once those refineries came back on online. Experts say that didn't happen because Isaac happened so close to Sept. 15, when there is a switch from the more expensive summer blend to the cheaper winter blend.

Next week is when experts say we should start to see prices go down. Prices are already starting to fall around the Twin Cities metro.

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