Tropical Storm Isaac Expected to Cause Increase in St. Michael Gas Prices

Gas prices in Minnesota could climb by about 25 cents a gallon by this time next week because of the storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Kwik Trip of St. Michael announced they would be raising gas prices effective Tuesday via its texting service to customers who enroll online. They also issued an alert via Twitter. 

Officials from AAA have said that Tropical Storm Issac, which is currently ripping across the Gulf of Mexico, has shut down offshore oil rigs.

The National Hurricane Center has predicted that the tropical storm will become a hurricane on Tuesday with 74 to 95 mph winds. It is expected to hit from an area southwest of New Orleans to the edge of Florida's panhandle.

Landfall should happen some time Tuesday night or early Wednesday, targeting an area that is rich with oil refineries. Louisiana, with Texas to its west, refines nearly a quarter of the nation's oil into gasoline. 

Tropical Storm Isaac targeted a broad swath of the Gulf Coast on Monday, bearing down just ahead of the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The Category 1 hurricane could make landfall as soon as Tuesday.