Northeast residents have been warned to brace for heavy rain and storms as Memorial Day weekend begins – but mild 90F weather should arrive by Sunday.
Most of the bad weather is expected to come Friday night and early Saturday along the Northeast into Maryland and as far north as Maine.
39 million Americans turned out to celebrate the start of the long weekend that marks the official start of summer.
Severe storms are expected to drop an inch of rain an hour in some areas and are expected to result in poor visibility on highways and possible flooding.
Stormy conditions are also expected to bring gusts of wind, hail and isolated tornadoes Friday night, and tornado watches are already in place in Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.
Dryer weather is forecast for Sunday, with temperatures ranging between 60 and 90 degrees throughout Memorial Day weekend.
Despite the warm weather, beachgoers can expect cool water temperatures that are forecast to be in the 50s in some areas, according to Accuweather.
This map shows how much of the Northeast will enjoy mild weather on Sunday. The mercury could bump 90f in and around Pittsburgh
The holiday itself is expected to have nice weather ranging from the 80s to the 90s in some areas – perfect for ball games and picnics.
However, it’s not good news for everyone.
According to Accuweather, conditions could deteriorate for the north-central part of the US for most of the weekend.
However, the Midwest and Rocky Mountains can forecast dry weather with some low-altitude showers for the weekend.
“A few storms will push inland across the Northwest this weekend, with precipitation and also snow showers in the mountains,” meteorologist Bill Deger said.
Thunderstorms and severe weather are also expected in the Dakotas, Nebraska and Minnesota on Saturday, while the north-central US faces Sunday and Monday.
Even with rainy weather ahead, an estimated 39 million Americans will take to the streets and air for the long weekend, boosting travel by 8.3 percent from a year earlier and returning to 2017 levels. Three million should fly.
“Motorists should expect delays in much of the East through Saturday in the Northeast, not only due to increased traffic on the roads, but also due to areas of torrential downpour,” said Accuweather weather forecaster Tony Zartman.
Virginia drivers faced heavy traffic Friday as 39 million are expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend
A Denver airport was bustling with activity Thursday as passengers prepared for a fun-filled weekend. An estimated 3 million are expected to fly this weekend
Along with rainy weather, millions of travelers are expected to face high gas prices, which have averaged $4.60 nationwide — up 47 cents from a month ago.
In California, gas prices topped $6 as many retailers refuse to buy Russian oil over Ukraine’s invasion.
More than 3 million people are also expected to fly between Thursday and Monday, despite round-trip ticket prices rising nearly 40 percent from the same time last year.
TSA warned there may be more travelers than before the pandemic.
Soaring gas and airfare prices coincide with a COVID-19 surge that has led to case numbers as high as they have been since mid-February.
The true case numbers are likely much higher due to unreported positive home test results and asymptomatic infections.
Gasoline prices in California topped $6, but nationwide it has averaged $4.60 a gallon as motorists continue to be stung at the Bugsier
The average gas price in the U.S. was $4.60 a gallon Thursday, according to AAA figures
In California — despite being home to the nation’s highest gas prices — the state’s nonprofit tourism agency is also forecasting a busy summer for the Golden State, beginning this weekend.
For Marvin Harper, of Phoenix, his family’s weekend travel plans are a double blow to the wallet.
His college-age son and daughter have soccer tournaments in Southern California and Colorado, respectively.
He and his daughter will fly to Denver instead of driving because of fuel costs, while his wife and son will drive to California in their SUV.
“My mother-in-law takes my wife and son to share these expenses because it’s just too much for our budget,” Harper said while filling up his truck’s gas tank on a QuikTrip in Phoenix.
“We can’t afford to drive both. That’s the bottom line… Gas prices are killing our household.’
For some, that’s exactly the reason they’re rethinking their vacation plans and choosing to stay in their backyard to limit the damage to their wallets.
Laura Dena and her sons usually drove to Southern California around Memorial Day weekend to escape the scorching Arizona heat. This year they’re staying home because it costs at least $100 to fill their truck.
“It’s really frustrating,” Dena said while waiting in line for a pump at a Costco in Phoenix in the 90-degree heat.
“It’s annoying, but there’s not much we can do. We have to pay the price.”
Visit California spokesman Ryan Becker said his agency sees a lot of “pent-up demand” due to the pandemic: “I want to get out, I want to travel. I had to put my anniversary trip on hold, I had to put my 40th birthday trip on hold.”
Outdoorsy, an online RV and RV rental marketplace, is noting that its renters have changed plans over the course of the pandemic.
About 88 percent of those 39.2 million travelers — a record number — are expected to travel by car over the long weekend, even if gas prices remain high, according to the AAA
Gas prices have risen steadily before peaking as many retailers refuse to buy Russian oil over the invasion of Ukraine
Travelers queue outside the main terminal at Denver International Airport in Denver on Thursday, May 26, 2022 for shuttle buses to nearby rental car agencies
Early on, people rented an RV to travel safely across the country and visit family. Now they are using mobile homes again as a cost-effective option for a nature-loving holiday.
“I think everyone needs a vacation, I really do,” said Jen Young, co-founder of Outdoorsy. “Have we ever experienced a more stressful, challenging – mentally, physically and emotionally – time in our lives?”
Others shrug off the stress of additional travel expenses because they are out of their control.
At a Chevron gas station in the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, Ricardo Estrada tried to guess how much the $6.49 a gallon Nissan work truck would cost him in total.
“I’ll take between $60 and $70,” the HVAC technician speculated, eyeing the display as the price continued to climb.
Estrada — who narrowly missed his guess when the pump registered $71.61 for 11 gallons of regular grade — was forced to increase its business fees to customers in a bid to beat gas prices.
He will be working over the bank holiday weekend but has planned a vacation to Arizona next month. He flies, but only for convenience, not for reasons of cost.
But even with rising airline ticket prices — AAA has found that the average lowest airfare for this weekend is 6 percent higher than last year — that’s not a safe bet either.