The national average gas price is creeping toward $5 a gallon, and there's no immediate end in sight

That pain at the gas pump might just be hurting a little more soon.

That pain at the gas pump might just be hurting a little more soon.

The price of fuel is expected to move even higher from already record territory, due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the onset of hurricane season in the U.S., analysts say.

In a note to clients, veteran oil markets expert Andy Lipow said he expects the average price of gasoline in the U.S. to hit above $5.00 per gallon this month as oil trades higher in anticipation of coming storms. The weather, he said, is likely to impact refining output and supplies along the U.S. Gulf Coast. According to AAA data on Friday, the average price is now about $4.98, though it is much higher in some states along the West Coast and the Midwest.

"The only question is when it will hit $5," Lipow wrote.

The main driver of gasoline prices is oil prices. Right now, many Western nations have suspended purchases of Russian oil in response to that country's invasion of Ukraine. Since Russian troops moved into Ukraine on Feb. 24, the price of one barrel of Brent crude oil has climbed from about $87 to about $122.60 at the market close on Thursday.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/when-will-gas-prices-go-down-rcna32169

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