Georgia Thanksgiving Weather Forecast Good For Record Travel

ATLANTA, GA -- The busiest travel day of the year is upon Georgians, with millions of Americans expected to take to the roads, busways, rail stations and airports over the Thanksgiving holiday. AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year.

The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year.

In Georgia, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is expecting to smash previous single-day and weekend travel records. The previous record was Memorial Day 2018's total of more than 93,000 passengers. Nationally, the Transportation Security Administration is expecting similar record-breaking numbers this upcoming Thanksgiving holiday travel period with more than 25 million passengers traveling through security screening checkpoints nationwide Nov. 16 through Nov. 26, an increase of 5 percent from 2017.

SEE ALSO: Record Number Of Holiday Travelers Expected At Atlanta Airport

AND: Here's What Atlanta Holiday Travelers Can Take With Them To Mom

Highway-wise, the Georgia Department of Transportation is suspending construction-related lane closures on primary state routes and interstates from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 26.

SEE ALSO: GDOT Suspends Lane Closures During Thanksgiving Travel Period

AAA projects the vast majority of travelers – 48.5 million – will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year. In Georgia, lower-than-national-average gas prices are hovering around $2.46, well below the national gas price average of $2.62. That national average is also seven cents less than a week ago and the largest one-week decline in pump price this year.

"The nearly 49 million Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving will find pump prices similar to last year," said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. "When it comes time to fill-up during the trip, motorists should keep in mind that gas stations along highly traveled routes may find prices more expensive than in-town."

SEE ALSO: Georgia Gas Prices Lower Than National Average Over Thanksgiving

For Georgians staying home for the holiday weekend, they'll enjoy a picture-perfect Thanksgiving. National Weather Service forecasters say Thursday will be sunny with a high around 59, followed by a low around 38 Thursday night. There's a 20 percent chance of showers after 1 pm on Friday, but that increases to a 90 percent chance on Friday night. Showers are likely on Saturday, with Saturday night forecast to be partly cloudy, with a low around 45. There's also a chance of rain Sunday and Sunday night.

Dozens of metro Atlanta restaurants will be open Thanksgiving Day, while many stores will be closed and others will have special operating hours.

SEE ALSO: Publix, Kroger, Walmart: Thanksgiving Grocery Hours In Georgia

AND GA Thanksgiving Store Closures 2018: TJ Maxx, Dillard's + More

PLUS Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving 2018 In Atlanta

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