Busy roads expected for Memorial Day weekend travel, high gas prices and temperatures ahead

As students across western Pennsylvania begin summer vacation and families welcome the warm weather and a long holiday weekend, it is important to plan ahead for any unwanted travel complications.

AAA East Central estimates that over 4.6 million travelers from the Mid-Atlantic region will be headed to vacation destinations during Memorial Day weekend, filling roadways and airports with hundreds of vacation-bound families. As gas prices and temperatures continue to rise throughout the weekend, experts are advising these travelers to plan ahead in order to avoid unnecessary stress over the weekend.

"Based on our projections, more Americans will be taking to the roads and skies this Memorial Day weekend than in the last several years,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president of AAA East Central. “People are looking forward to that special trip spending time with family and friends.”

Car travel rising for season, but gas prices to remain high for weekend

Initial travel forecasts show that the most popular method of transportation will remain automobiles, with 4.2 million motorists expected to be traveling this weekend. The number of travelers driving cars to their destination is expected to increase by around 4.6% this year, despite the rising prices of gasoline across the nation.

“Even with a significant increase in gas prices, we expect a large jump in holiday driving compared to the last few years,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst for INRIX. “Drivers should expect congestion on major roadways around big cities and popular destinations. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.”

In western Pennsylvania, gas prices are currently at an average of $4.70 per gallon, which is slightly above the current national average of $4.59. Prices for gasoline are $1.05 more than they were when Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, which has drastically raised the prices for gasoline across the globe. With the additional seasonal demand, the average price increase has been $1.56 from the same time period in 2021.

Some of the current costs for gasoline across western Pennsylvania's regions are the following:

• Altoona - $4.755/per gallon

• Beaver - $4.688/per gallon

• Erie - $4.683/per gallon

• New Castle - $4.681/per gallon

• Pittsburgh - $4.696/per gallon

Not all aspects of car travel are more expensive this year, as motorists can save some money on car rentals. Prices for daily rentals have decreased by 16% since last year, with the lowest average rate coming to around $100 a day. While the prices at the pump may be damaging to vacation funds, this trade-off may be beneficial to those flying to their destinations.

Due to the high number of motorists, the traffic forecast for Memorial Day weekend anticipates plenty of delays for those traveling after 1 p.m. from Thursday to Monday. While traffic will get better in the evening, AAA recommends departing earlier in the morning to avoid the worst of traffic.

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Travel by airplane, other travel methods to see larger increases

Air travel will also see a significant increase during this year's Memorial Day weekend, with AAA estimating that over 311,000 travelers will utilize air travel to get to their destinations. The surge in air travel has been steadily increasing in the area since Thanksgiving, with the number of travelers increasing by 25.1% since this time in 2021.

Numbers for air travel across the nation are expected to increase by 25% this year, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels with over 3 million passengers expected to fly over the weekend. Overall, the United States is expected to see 7.7% of travelers utilize air travel this holiday, which is 0.2% higher than in 2019.

Prices for airfare are also significantly cheaper than last year, with prices falling 6% and tickets averaging around $184 per person. Saturday's tickets will be the most expensive for Memorial Day travel, but decreased rates will be available on Monday and later into next week.

While the tickets for air travel have decreased, the rate for hotels across travel destinations has increased by 42% per night. In the data from AAA, their "mid-range hotels" that meet the company's approval status are currently charging $199 to $257 per night.

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Other travel options will also see notable increases, with annual travel numbers increasing for buses, trains and boats. Over 98,000 passengers plan to utilize these different methods of transportation, which is 194.8% higher than in 2021.

Temperatures remaining comfortable, getting hotter in some areas

While many travelers anticipate stuffy summer car rides during vacations, early forecasts are expecting comfortable temperatures throughout the weekend.

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In communities across western Pennsylvania, the Weather Channel is predicting the following forecasts:

• Erie - Thursday will remain sunny, with a high of 79 degrees. Throughout the weekend, temperatures will be lower with highs ranging from 61 to 71 degrees with rain showers throughout the weekend. Temperatures increasing above 80 degrees on Monday, with the sunshine returning to the area for the holiday. Temperatures will remain in the high 70s and low 80s throughout the week.

• Pittsburgh - Thursday will remain cloudy in the region, but temperatures will start warm with a high of 84 degrees. On Friday, thunderstorms are expected as the temperature quickly falls to a high of 73 degrees. Saturday will see more storms and a decrease to 71 degrees, with storms continuing into Sunday but rising to a high of 78. Starting on Memorial Day, the weather will quickly turn around for the area with a high of 85 degrees and remain in the higher 80s into next week.

• Altoona - Starting the week off cold, temperatures will only hit a high of 70 degrees on Thursday. After that, rain will begin to cover the area and storms will welcome the weekend. Friday will see a high of 74 degrees and Saturday will see a high of 71 degrees. Sunday will still see scattered storms, but temperatures will begin to increase with a high of 78 degrees. On Memorial Day, the skies will begin to clear and temperatures will reach a high of 83 degrees. The temperatures are expected to remain in the high 80s throughout the week.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Memorial Day travel forecast calls for high traffic, increasing temperatures