Low gas prices. Good economy. What’s everyone doing for the Fourth of July?
Experts say Rock Hill-area residents and others in the Carolinas will travel in record numbers over the extended Independence Day weekend. Those who stay home – and many of those who hit the road – won’t escape the heat, according to forecasters.
Heat, humidity and thunderstorms are in the daily forecast for the weekend, which stretches this year from Wednesday through Sunday. All of the Southeast and much of the eastern United States, except for the mountains, will share in the heat, forecasters say.
AAA Carolinas officials say 2.055 million Carolinas residents will travel 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend. That’s up 4.1% from a year ago, the AAA says, attributing the increase to a fairly strong economy and gasoline prices that have recently dropped.
About 85 percent of the 638,500 South Carolina residents expected to travel will do so on the roads. Another 65,000 are predicted to travel by air, with the remainder going by bus, boat or train.
“With low gas prices this season and school being out for the summer, Carolinians are planning to travel in record-breaking numbers,” says AAA Carolinas spokesperson Tiffany Wright. “This year, the holiday falls on a Thursday, so many will take the whole week or create a long weekend to travel.”
The top three destinations for those driving are the Myrtle Beach area, Charleston and New Orleans.
Gasoline prices are down this year, compared to the Fourth of July in 2018. The average price for a gallon of regular gas late last week in South Carolina was $2.26, according to the AAA. That compares to $2.53 a year ago.
The S.C. Highway Patrol and the AAA say they expect the heaviest highway traffic on Wednesday – the holiday “getaway” day for many people. But heavy traffic also is forecast Thursday evening, as people head to fireworks displays, and Saturday and Sunday, as travelers return home. Authorities are reminding travelers to avoid using cell phones while driving and to resist road rage.
“We want to remind motorists to put away distractions behind the wheel and to adhere to rules of the road,” the AAA’s Wright said. “Be mindful of busier roads, and pack your patience to avoid getting angry.”
The weather will be typical for this time of year. The same heat that will envelop the Rock Hill area over will be very much in evidence at the beaches and elsewhere in the South. High temperatures are expected to climb into the middle 90s for the next several days, and increasing humidity levels will push the heat index – the combined measurement of heat and humidity – above 100 degrees.
Meteorologist Jeffrey Taylor, of the National Weather Service’s office in Greer, said heat indices of 100-105 degrees are likely through Thursday across the Rock Hill area.
Thunderstorms will be both a friend and enemy. Storms are expected to develop in the afternoon and evening, especially Thursday through Sunday, and they will provide some relief from the heat and humidity. But they also could wreak havoc with Independence Day festivals and fireworks. Forecasters encourage those outdoors over the holiday to pay attention to the weather – both to prevent heat-related illnesses, and to avoid the danger of lightning.