Service station owners must pay for the gas they're now selling. With the real possibility of increased costs to them for their next load, they must make money now to pay for it when it is delivered to them. That's the explanation I got from an owner.
That sounds reasonable.
I don't feel the gas station owner is gouging.
If you owned the gas station and had a mortgage and tuition and food bills, what would you charge for the gas underground on your station property?
Before you answer, remember that you probably won't have any customers for weeks to come.
$4 @ gallon is pretty cheap under the circumstances.