Reported By Mark Jenkins, Emily Lampa and Nick VinZant
ORLANDO -- Morning fog followed by heavy rains made for a wet Wednesday as thousands hit the roads and skies on the busiest travel day of the year.
News 13 Meteorologist Peter Caggiano said most of the heavy rain moved south Wednesday evening. However, lingering showers throughout the night are not out of the question.
The weather will improve Thursday, with clouds early and sunshine later in the day. Highs will be in the lower 70s.
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Seminole County-based AAA estimated 33 million people to travel by car this weekend. That’s a 2.1 percent increase from 2008, but a 7 percent drop in Americans flying for Thanksgiving dinner was also expected.
On The Roads
Wet roads and the busiest holiday travel day of the year were not a good combination
From fender benders to serious accidents, the Florida Highway Patrol worked 366 crashes Wednesday.
Troopers said they have extra personnel on the roadways, but ultimately safety is in the driver's hands.
"We have these crashes because people aren't basically following the rules of the road when there is bad weather and we just want to remind drivers that they need to slow down, give themselves enough room and turn on those headlights,” said Sgt. Kim Montes from FHP.
They said the best way to protect yourself is to slow down and keep your eyes on the road.
Troopers said they will strictly enforce seat belt and child restraint laws, which now authorize law enforcement officers to stop anyone who fails to buckle up in Florida.
Last year, officials said 52 people died on Florida’s roads during Thanksgiving weekend. Of those, 24 were alcohol-related.
At The Airport
Meanwhile, workers at Orlando International Airport said they have noticed the holiday rush, but admitted it was not much more than any usual day.
Most travelers News 13 spoke with seemed to agree.
“The lines actually went pretty quickly,” said Timothy Adams, who was heading home to New Orleans. “We came in and just got our tickets, and we’re ready to go.”
A young family told News 13 they were definitely thankful for the short lines and ticket counters and no long delays at security or on the boards.
“It’s definitely a lot harder with infants and 2-year-olds,” one of the parents said. “We’re all pretty much tired and tuckered out.”
AAA said they expected a slow Thanksgiving in terms of air travel. The last decade has shown a steady decline in the skies, with a 62 percent drop since 2000.
Travelers at the airport said they were thankful to avoid the crowds, but admitted it wasn’t been a completely stress-free day because of the wet weather.
Rain compounded the confusion at OIA’s satellite parking, where travelers tried to keep dry while they struggled to find parking and get their luggage aboard the airport shuttles.
As of 1 a.m. Thursday, the Blue Lot is open, while the Gold and Red lots are closed.
To check the status of parking, call (407) 825-PARK or visit the parking section of OIA's Web site.
More busy travel days are expected Saturday and Sunday, when everyone travels back home to head back to work and school Monday.
Officials projected more than 90,000 people to move through OIA Saturday, followed by 95,000 more Sunday.
Those 185,000 people were not just people returning home, but also a large number of families coming to Orlando on vacation after the Thanksgiving holiday.
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Thanksgiving Travel
Dig into our Thanksgiving Page for Important Travel Information, plus holiday treats, special recipes and family fun to help plan your day of thanks.
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