According to the National Weather Service, Saturday through Monday is expected to be partly sunny with highs in the upper 80s. However, a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms is predicted throughout the weekend.
Rusty Simmons, acting chief Ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, still expects "people all over the place" at the lake this weekend.
"I would think it will be just as busy, if not busier, than last year," he said.
Sgt. Mike Barr of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said patrols will be out "in full force" this weekend.
Barr said activity at the lake seems to be increasing with the economy still in a precarious situation.
"A lot of people can't afford to go on vacation but they can afford to go to the lake for the weekend and bring their boat," he said. "We are seeing more (activity) rather than less."
Economic factors are the reason AAA Auto Club South is expecting to see fewer people traveling this year for the holiday weekend. AAA is expecting 884,000 people to travel 50 miles or more this weekend, just a slight decrease of less than 1 percent from last year.
"We still have a high rate of unemployment. People don't want to take the time off," Jessica Brady of AAA Auto Club South said. "We are in more of an economic crunch."
She said gas prices have started trending downwards. The current average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.68, down from $2.77 a week ago and $2.74 a month ago.
In an informal survey of 21 gas stations in the Canton and Woodstock areas conducted by the Cherokee Tribune on Tuesday, the average for a gallon of regular unleaded in the county was $2.65.
The lowest price was $2.60 for members of BJ's in Woodstock. Several locations had gas for $2.64, the next lowest price.
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