Oh yes! Those gas prices are on the rise!

As America scrambles towards true energy independence, there may be a fly in the ointment before reaching that state of nirvana! Recent spikes in gas prices all over the Nation, (due to hurricane Harvey) currently serve as a reminder that we may not be out of the woods quite yet!

September 1 - Just how high up and for how long pump prices will persist, is unknown as of this post. What is definitely known is that energy uncertainty hangs like a cloud over all the world. Harvey not only affected gas princes at home but elsewhere as well.

Uncertain weather, simmering problems in the Middle East, a psychotic North Korean and even Chinese or Russian instability all could play a hand in the direction the US will be taking! Yes, life is uncertain...

Even more problematic would be the potential for a synergistic effect that could result if a string of 'misfortunes' were to occur close together in time. For instance, were the latest hurricane named Irma to slam somewhere into the East Coast as a category 4 and a war with Iran or North Korea to break out - The physical devastation along the Coast along with a significant loss of oil shipments could prove catastrophic for the US over the short term... Oil, and its availability, has often been the Achilles tendon of many developed countries and is even more true for the United States!

[Can wacky things really happen? Sure. Take a look at the path the 2004 Hurricane called Ivan took when it made landfall in the Gulf twice! Talk about weird]!

Be sure to visit www.taneyweather.com for the latest weather info for Taney County Missouri!