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Cooling off

by BRIAN WALKER/bwalker@cdapress.com
| August 29, 2014 9:00 PM

Ready or not, we're going to get cool on Labor Day weekend.

Temperatures are expected to dip into the low- to mid-70s Saturday through Monday under partly cloudy skies and breezy conditions, said meteorologist Randy Mann.

"We've seen our warmest days," Mann said. "There may be an isolated shower or two, but they're weak systems and mainly over the mountains."

Climatologist Cliff Harris said there have been 29 days this summer in which the temperature has reached at least 90.

Meanwhile, gas prices haven't changed much in the past month and are expected to decrease this fall, according to AAA Idaho.

The average price in Coeur d'Alene on Wednesday was $3.61 per gallon, a penny more than last month and 2 cents less than last year at this time.

"Current market conditions, including seasonal demand, cheaper-to-produce winter-grade fuels hitting the markets in September and abundant and cheaper oil should translate into lower gasoline prices in the U.S. and Idaho," said Dave Carlson, AAA Idaho spokesman. "However, that was not the case last year when Idaho prices remained well above the national average until near the end of the year."

Carlson said North Idaho prices have been lower than those in southern Idaho for most of this year.

"Access to multiple sources of refined gasoline, including Montana, the Salt Lake Pipeline - which moves product to Pasco - and western Washington have benefited prices in the region," Carlson said.

Gas prices should not play a significant role one way or another in the number of travelers for the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to AAA.

Overall, AAA forecasts 34.7 million Americans will be hitting the byways this weekend, with about 86 percent, or 29.7 million going by motor vehicle. About 147,000 Idahoans are expected to travel 50 miles or more to a holiday destination.

Despite Idaho's sixth-highest pump prices in the country - for the second year in a row for this holiday - travel volumes in the state are expected to match the rest of the country, where about 11 percent of the population will travel. The increase is modest, but overall volume is the highest going back to 2008, Carlson said.