Gas prices have been going up on the prairies, with some stations in the Swift Current area coming in at above 163.9 cents per litre.

That increase is due to a number of factors, with one expert saying that the increase is due to a rebound in demand for gasoline.

That comes as a hurricane is bearing down on the east coast of the United States, which could disrupt any fuel and energy traffic in the area.

President of Canadians for Affordable energy Dan McTeague details just how much of an increase some areas will see.

"Pretty much across most of western Canada, we are seeing what will amount to a 30 cent per litre net increase in the price of gasoline. That includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and most of B.C., and of course, it could get worse if you're in Vancouver where the price is going up closer to 40 cents per litre."

The increase can be pegged to an increase in demand from consumers, as well as a pair of other issues.

"Much of this is due to a rebound in demand for gasoline. There have been some refinery issues in the US midwest," said McTeague, "Which tends to be the trendsetter, the benchmark for prices that we see here in western Canada."

Those refinery issues include the Whiting refinery in Illinois, along with another refinery in the town of Oregon, Ohio.

A weak Canadian dollar was also cited, losing about four per cent value over the week.

Another storm is brewing in the southern United States as Hurricane Ian will make landfall in Florida - McTeague says that state, however, doesn't have a large effect on energy prices.

"There isn't a lot of infrastructure that's affected by hurricane Ian, as destructive as it is. It certainly is reminiscent of Hurricane Irma, which followed a slightly different path through Florida in 2017 so it's not like we haven't seen a category four or five in that region in recent time."

McTeague says that the only possible factor could be damage to the colonial pipeline, though that would mainly affect eastern Canada.