The Shell gas station on Route 14 near Palatine Road in Palatine is advertising gas at $3.79 for a gallon of regular on Wednesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

Perhaps we celebrated too soon. Gas prices that hit a sweet spot a few weeks ago are now back at irritating levels with the Labor Day holiday looming.

What caused the increase to an average of $3.75 for a gallon of regular in the Chicago region Wednesday?

One significant factor is extreme weather midmonth. Severe thunderstorms and flooding Aug. 19, disrupted operations at the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, which was temporarily shut down, AAA spokesperson Molly Hart explained.

“This situation has contributed to the recent increase in gas prices. While two parts of the refinery are now operational, we can expect higher

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