Travelers visiting family for the Thanksgiving holiday will be among the 48.7 million American projected to journey 50 or more miles for the holiday.

AAA predicts a million-traveler increase from last year, based on economic improvements such as rising wages, increased consumer spending and overall strength in consumer confidence. 

“One million more Americans than last year will carve out time to visit with friends and family this Thanksgiving,” AAA President and CEO Marshall Doney said. “Most will travel on the tried and true holiday road trip, thanks to gas prices that are holding at close to $2 a gallon. Others will fly, take the bus or set off on a cruise to celebrate with their loved ones.”

More than 89 percent of travelers will drive, according to AAA, which expects to rescue more than 370,000 motorists this Thanksgiving. 

Law enforcement has already made plans to prepare for the increase in drivers.

“It’s one of the most heavy travel days in the country,” said Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department. “We’re looking for drivers who are not properly restrained and also for impaired drivers.”

Additional grant-funded deputies will be patrolling and DUI/ sobriety checkpoints will be established. 

Calhoun said that drivers, however, generally don’t give the department much trouble on Thanksgiving.

“They know we’re out there,” Calhoun said.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop H Sgt. Andy West also reported that they would step up efforts for the holidays.

“We’ll be utilizing all our manpower,” West said. “And we’ll be out there.”

“You’re going to see more officers, more patrols,” said Sgt. Dareall Thompson of the Meridian Police Department. “We’ll have ears and eyes out on the stores (for Black Friday shoppers) and for impaired drivers.”

The National Weather Service in Jackson projected cold weather at the beginning of the week, with temperatures possibly dipping down to freezing overnight. Despite the possibility of light rain from a system moving through the state on Tuesday or Wednesday, conditions will be good and relatively dry for those traveling in the Southeast.

The NWS forecasts below normal temperatures in the Southeast throughout the week of Thanksgiving. 

For those traveling out-of-state, the NWS predicted heavy snow in parts of the Northeast, Northern Rockies and Northern Great Basin both Wednesday and Thursday. Snow may continue in the Northern Rockies until Wednesday, Nov. 30. 

The forecast from also predicts heavy precipitation across portions of the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley Tuesday, Nov. 22 and Wednesday, Nov. 23. Heavy precipitation in the Pacific Northwest will be accompanied by high winds on Thursday, Nov. 24. The Pacific Northwest and Northern California will also see heavy precipitation Saturday through Monday, Nov. 26-Nov. 28.