The culprits are named Gustav and Ike. They've thrown a pretty serious wrench in Gulf Coast refineries ability to pipe out fuel at full capacity. The good news, at least right now, is that Northwest Arkansas is Not supplied by gulf coast refineries.


Monday was Just another day at gas stations across our area, it was quite a different sight a few states away.
Most gas stations in the Southeast have no fuel to sell. Those that do are running out fast.

And during a time of such extreme fuel shortage economists say folks will spend less money and possibly not even be able to make money if they can't get to work. Not good news for an increasingly struggling economy.

University of Arkansas Economist Jeff Cooperstein tells us, "People aren't able to spend money the way they were. I'm sure some people down there are having trouble getting to work. So you're definitely seeing a multiplier effect of people not spending their money on gasoline."

The problem is so serious even trucks used to haul fuel to gas stations don't have enough fuel to get there.