North Carolina drivers are feeling the pinch at the pump as gas prices across the state have increased by an average of 7 cents per gallon over the past week. The current average gasoline price in North Carolina is $2.96, up 2.4% from last week but still 11.1% lower than a year ago. This uptick comes from Hurricane Milton, which recently battered Florida’s coast, causing widespread fuel shortages in the Sunshine State.

While the hurricane didn’t directly impact North Carolina, the ripple effects are being felt at gas stations across the state. Durham-Chapel Hill leads the pack with the highest average price at $3.08 per gallon, followed closely by Raleigh and Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill at $3.00. Despite the recent increase, industry experts remain optimistic about the overall trend. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan suggests a national average of $2.99 per gallon is still possible this fall.