The damage leftover from Hurricane Ida at major energy, chemical and shipping industries along the Gulf Coast could have an impact on gas prices for Long Islanders.

Here on Long Island, the average price of gas is up one penny in the last week, sitting at $3.21 a gallon.

"When demand goes up, price goes up, that's old high school economics and we're seeing the effect of that now," explains AAA's Robert Sinclair.

In addition to stronger demand for gas this year, Sinclair says higher prices in the summer are also due to what's called a summer blend of gasoline, which is more difficult to refine and blend.

And after Hurricane Ida slammed into the Gulf Coast, Sinclair says we could see prices at the pump go up even higher.

"It's going to take a few days to see exactly what the full scope of the damage might be to refineries, the pipelines and other facilities. New Orleans has no power at all, so that might be a harbinger of bad things to come," Sinclair says.

Long Islanders could see high prices at the pump from the impacts of Hurricane Ida. For comparison, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, AAA says gas prices on Long Island went up 66 cents in just a couple of weeks because of the damage.

Sinclair says the next week is going to be critical, as motorists keep an eye on prices and how Ida impacts them.

Sinclair also advises people not to panic-buy gasoline as there is plenty of supply here on Long Island right now.