(KLFY) Louisiana motorists will feel the pinch at the gas pumps.

The national average price of gasoline has risen about 5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.25 a gallon today.

“All of this is happening because oil has surged to $81 a barrel because of Hurricane Ida and the demand globally,” Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy explains.

Across Louisiana, the state average has reached the $3 mark per gallon.

“It is about a $1.08 more than a year ago. The year, on average, it was $1.92 per gallon,” says De Haan.

Experts say if you want to know why prices continue to fluctuate, it’s as easy as supply and demand.

De Haan continues, “The demand is there especially in the U.S. We have rebounded globally but the supply has lagged behind causing the steep prices.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is playing a huge role in the unpredictable cost at the pumps.

Experts say gas prices will most likely continue to rise as oil production companies slowly ramp back up.

De Haan adds, “Production is 2.5 million barrels lower than where we were prior to the pandemic. There is plenty of room for help for production to increase and that would help but we are not seeing an increase in U.S. oil production.”