Busy Roads Expected For Memorial Day Weekend Travel, High Gas Prices And Temperatures Ahead

As students in Western Pennsylvania begin their summer break and families welcome hot weather and long weekends, it's important to plan ahead for unexpected travel complications.

The AAA East Center estimates that more than 4.6 million passengers in the Mid-Atlantic region will travel to resorts over the weekend, filling roads and airports with hundreds of vacationing families. As gas prices and temperatures continue to rise over the weekend, experts recommend waiting for these passengers to avoid unnecessary weekend stress.

“We predict there will be more Americans on the streets and in the skies this Memorial Day weekend than in previous years,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president of the AAA Eastern Center. “People are looking forward to this special journey. Spend time with family and friends."

This season, the number of car trips has increased, but gasoline prices remain high at the weekend

Preliminary travel forecasts show that cars are the most popular mode of transport, with 4.2 million drivers using them this weekend. Despite rising gasoline prices across the country, the number of passengers traveling to destinations is expected to increase by about 4.6% this year.

“Despite the significant increase in gas prices, we expect a significant increase in the number of holiday trips over the past few years,” said Bob Pishu, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Guitars should avoid traffic jams on major roads around big cities and popular destinations. Knowing when and where traffic jams can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.”

In western Pennsylvania, the average gasoline price is currently $4.70 per liter, slightly higher than the current national average of $4.59. Gasoline prices have risen $1.05 since Russia's occupation of Ukraine on Feb. 24, pushing up gas prices around the world. The average price increase compared to the same period in 2021, with additional seasonal demand, was $1.56.

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Here are some gas prices in Western Pennsylvania:

Altoona - $4,755 per gallon/gallon

Beavers - $4688/gallon per gallon

Erie - $4683/gallon per gallon

New Castle - $4681 per gallon/gallon

Pittsburgh - $4696/gallon per gallon

Not every aspect of road travel is expensive this year, as renting a car can save the driver money. Daily rent is down 16% from last year and the lowest average price is around $100 per day. While pampas prices can wreak havoc on holiday money, these discounts can be beneficial for those flying to destinations.

Due to the large number of drivers, traffic forecasts for Memorial Day weekend predict a number of delays from 13:00 for those traveling from Thursday to Monday. While traffic has improved in the afternoon, AAA recommends starting early in the morning to avoid the worst traffic.

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When traveling by air, check out other modes of transportation for more improvement.

Air travel will also rise significantly this Memorial Day weekend, with AAA estimates that more than 311,000 passengers will use air travel to reach their destination. Air travel growth in the region has grown steadily since Thanksgiving, with passenger numbers up 25.1% since 2021.

Domestic flights are expected to increase by 25% this year, with more than 3 million passengers reaching pre-pandemic levels over the weekend. Overall, 7.7% of U.S. travelers are expected to travel by air during their vacation, up 0.2% from 2019.

Airfare prices are also much lower than last year, with prices down 6% and tickets costing around $184 per person. Saturday tickets will be the most expensive for Memorial Day travel, but discounts will be available on Monday and then next week.

Despite the decline in airfare, hotel fares rose 42% overnight. According to the AAA, "mid-range hotels" that meet the company's approved status currently charge $199 and $257 per night, respectively.

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Other travel options will also increase significantly as the number of bus, train and boat trips per year increase. More than 98,000 passengers plan to use these modes of transport, which is 194.8% more than in 2021.

The temperature remains comfortable, the room is heated

While many travelers look forward to summer vacation travel, advance forecasts call for comfortable weekend temperatures.

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The weather channel predicts in a community in western Pennsylvania:

Erie is a sunny Thursday, the highest temperature is 79 degrees. Over the weekend, minimum temperatures will range from 61 to 71 degrees, with heavy rainfall over the weekend. Temperatures will rise above 80 degrees on Monday and holiday sunshine will return to nearby areas. The temperature will be 70 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius during the week.

Pittsburgh - The region will be cloudy Thursday, but temperatures will start to warm up to 84 degrees. A storm is expected on Friday as temperatures drop to 73 degrees. On Saturday there will be more storms and it will drop to 71 degrees, the storm will continue until Sunday, but will reach a height of 78 degrees. From Memorial Day, the weather will return to the 85-degree zone and continue up to the summit. Next week we enter the 80s.

Altoona - Starting with a cold week, temperatures will hit 70 degrees on Thursday. After that, rains will begin, and thunderstorms will meet the weekend. On Friday it will be 74 degrees Celsius and on Saturday it will be 71 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, the storms will still disperse, but the temperature will begin to rise to 78 degrees. On Memorial Day, the skies will begin to clear and temperatures will reach 83 degrees. During the week, 80-degree heat is expected.

This article first appeared in the Beaver County Times: Memorial Day travel forecast calls for heavy traffic and rising temperatures.

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