Travelers will find gas prices that are comfortable but temperatures less so in Arkansas as summer winds down this Labor Day weekend.
The motor and leisure travel organization AAA said Americans will be paying the lowest Labor Day gas prices since 2004.
"It is unbelievable that drivers are ending their summer vacations with the lowest gas prices for this time of year in more than a decade," said Avery Ash, AAA spokesman in a statement released by the company.
The average price of gas is down 99 cents per gallon from last year. As a result, Americans are expected to save more than $1 billion at the gas pump this holiday weekend compared with 2014, AAA said.
The national average price of gas is $2.44 per gallon. Arkansas gas prices are below that with an average price of $2.166 per gallon.
Many people will be using those savings at the pump to travel to Arkansas state parks. The majority of overnight accommodations were booked last week, said Joe Jacobs, marketing and revenue manager for the state park system.
There will still be plenty of room for visitors who want to hike, swim or a picnic, Jacobs said. While the first official day of autumn isn't until Sept. 23, Jacobs said now is the time to make reservations for fall weekend trips because it's a busy time for the parks.
Officials are urging those heading out on the water to use caution and follow safety procedures this weekend. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission boating law administrator Stephanie Weatherington said the agency will "definitely have a presence out on the major lakes and rivers."
"The only change may be since dove season is coming [Saturday], we'll typically work dove hunters and be in the fields early in the morning and get out on the lakes in the afternoon and night," she said. "But, obviously, we'll be available for any emergencies."
Weatherington said the agency will enforce laws requiring children under 12 years old to wear life jackets on the water. It will also enforce laws that prohibit drinking and boating.
"Usually this is the last blast for the boating season. Don't drink and operate a boat. Pay attention to what's going on around you. That's the No. 1 cause of boating accidents, operator inattention," Weatherington said.
As of Thursday, there had been 50 boating accidents in Arkansas this year, according to the Game and Fish Commission. Nine people died, seven of whom drowned.
The agency recorded nine deaths and 72 boating accidents last year. Each of the deaths were drownings, and three involved drugs or alcohol.
Game and Fish Commission public affairs coordinator Steve Wilson said there could be fewer people on the water this Labor Day weekend than in previous years. High temperatures and warm water the past few weeks have made fishing conditions less than ideal, he said.
"This weekend might not be crowded because it's the opening day of dove season and you've got college football starting, as well, so it might be dispersed," he said.
There are more than 206,000 boats registered in Arkansas, according to the Game and Fish Commission. That number doesn't include canoes, kayaks and other small vessels without engines.
Temperatures this weekend will be 5 to 6 degrees above average for early September, said Julie Lesko, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in North Little Rock. The highs are expected to be in the middle 90s, and lows will be in the 70s for most of the weekend.
Lesko said the best chance for rain comes on Monday, but there are also chances for pop-up showers and thunderstorms during the heat of the day on Saturday and Sunday.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of people out on the lakes and rivers but be wary of thunderstorms," Lesko said.
Metro on 09/04/2015