About 37.2 million Americans will be hitting the road or flying to vacation spots and state parks this Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally marks the beginning of the summer travel season.
The motor and leisure travel organization AAA has estimated a 4.7 percent increase in travelers from last year -- the highest travel volume for the holiday in 10 years. AAA credits a strong employment market and low gas prices with this year's holiday travel increase.
Drivers will pay the lowest Memorial Day gas prices in at least five years. The national average for regular is $2.735 a gallon. The average in Arkansas is lower at $2.47 a gallon.
Friday was expected to be the busiest day of the long holiday weekend at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock, with 6,711 passengers, airport spokesman Shane Carter said. Carter said the airport expects to handle 20,808 passengers over the weekend, down 1 percent from last year's total of 20,999.
Carter advised passengers to plan for the higher-than- normal activity at the airport.
"Passengers are recommended to arrive at the airport 90 minutes before their flight, especially if traveling during the early morning hours," he said in an email.
"For passengers who may not fly as often, please remember there are carry-on limitations. Only one, small bag plus a personal item such as a laptop, purse, backpack or briefcase is allowed on board an aircraft. Everything else must be checked at the ticket counter."
For those staying in Arkansas, rain might hamper some Memorial Day weekend plans in already soaked areas.
Temperatures this weekend are expected to be in the low 80s, with showers and thunderstorms moving into the state from the west on Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.
Tabitha Clarke at the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock said the storms are expected to bring 3 to 4 inches of rain to western Arkansas, 2 to 2.5 inches in the central part of the state and 1 to 2 inches in eastern Arkansas.
The prospect of more rain prompted the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock to issue a flash-flood watch for parts of central Arkansas. With rivers, lakes and creeks at high levels and the ground saturated from previous rainfall, officials say heavy rains could quickly overflow waterways.
Those planning on spending time on the rivers this weekend need to pay attention to the forecast and be aware that rivers and lakes might contain debris after the recent rains, Clarke said.
Not only are the rivers high, but they're also moving fast. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a small-craft advisory and is asking boaters to stay off the Arkansas River this weekend.
That request includes boaters gathering to watch Riverfest, the annual Memorial Day weekend festival featuring music, arts and food in Little Rock.
Small-craft advisories are issued when flows exceed 70,000 cubic feet per second. Corps spokesman Randall "Jay" Townsend said flows at Murray Lock measured at 210,000 cubic feet per second on Thursday.
"We understand that people like to go out on the river to watch the fireworks on Sunday night, but it's really not safe," Townsend said. "We like repeat customers, so be safe, be smart and we ask you to stay off the river."
Riverfest will go on rain or shine, but Kelley Bass, a member of the Riverfest board of directors, said activities will be suspended if the weather turns severe.
The water has caused some closures at state parks, but 51 of the 52 state parks will be open and ready to host visitors, spokesman Joan Ellison said.
Millwood State Park in Ashdown is the only park closed because of flooding. The Three Sisters Springs' springhouse and all swimming beaches at Lake Ouachita State Park are also closed because of high lake levels, but all other areas of the park are open.
Ellison said updates on any additional closings will be posted under the special notices section of arkansasstateparks.com.
Some Corps campsites are also underwater, and with more rain on the way more could close before the weekend is over. Corps officials recommend that people call ahead to make sure their campsites are still open before heading out. Numbers for specific campsites can be found on their website at www.swl.usace.army.mil.
Information for this article was contributed by Noel Oman of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
State Desk on 05/23/2015