Grand Junction drivers are paying the price for war half a world away. In just one week, the average gallon of regular gasoline in Mesa County shot up more than 37 cents to $3.37, according to AAA Colorado. The sudden spike on Colorado’s Western Slope comes as the Israel-Iran conflict pushes crude oil prices higher and refineries switch to pricier summer blends.

Middle East Conflict Sends Oil Markets Into Chaos

Crude oil closed Friday at $90.90 per barrel, the highest level since October 2023. The surge follows Iran’s missile attack on Israel and fears that the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil flows, could be disrupted.

Even though the United States does not import Iranian oil, the ripple effects are real.

“When Iranian supply gets taken off the market, other countries that used to buy from Iran now compete for oil from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE, the same countries we buy from,” Skyler McKinley, AAA Colorado’s regional director of public relations, told KJCT. “Those sellers can only increase production so fast, and much of that oil still has to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

The result: higher crude prices reach American refineries and, eventually, Western Slope gas stations.

Seasonal Refinery Maintenance Makes a Bad Situation Worse

March and April mark the annual switch from winter to summer gasoline blends, which burn cleaner but cost more to produce. Refineries routinely shut down units for maintenance during this period, tightening supply right when demand starts to climb.

AAA expects the seasonal switch alone to add 10 to 20 cents per gallon nationwide in the coming weeks.

On the Western Slope, where fuel is trucked over mountain passes and there are fewer stations to spread the cost, price swings hit harder and faster than in Denver or Front Range cities.

How Long Will Drivers Pay These Prices?

McKinley says there will be no outright shortage, but every week the conflict continues keeps upward pressure on pump prices.

“The longer the uncertainty lasts, the longer we pay for it at the pump,” he said.

As of Monday morning, GasBuddy showed regular gasoline in Grand Junction ranging from $3.29 at some Sam’s Club and Costco stations to $3.49 at several independent stations along Horizon Drive and Patterson Road. Diesel drivers are seeing averages near $3.80.

What Western Slope Drivers Can Do Right Now

• Shop membership stations: Costco in Grand Junction was reported at $3.29 Monday.
• Use apps like GasBuddy or AAA to find the cheapest fuel in real time.
• Combine trips and ease off the accelerator; every 5 mph over 50 mph can cost an extra 20 cents per gallon in fuel efficiency.
• Check tire pressure; under-inflated tires can lower mileage by 3 percent.

The combination of war risk and seasonal factors has created the perfect storm for Colorado’s Western Slope. Families already stretching budgets for spring break trips or summer camping plans are feeling the pinch first and hardest.

Residents who remember paying $5 a gallon in 2022 know these spikes can last longer than anyone hopes. For now, every new headline out of the Middle East is another turn of the screw at local pumps.

What are you seeing at the pump in Mesa County, Montrose, or Delta? Are you changing travel plans because of these prices? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s keep the conversation going.