These are the worst times to drive in Atlanta during Labor Day weekend

Nearly 35 million Americans plan to hit the road this Labor Day, according to the American Automobile Association, the highest volume for the holiday since 2008.

» RELATED: Your complete guide to Labor Day weekend in Atlanta

While metro Atlanta will experience some scattered storms before the weekend, you can expect a drier Saturday and Sunday, according to the latest forecast from Channel 2 Action News.

But Sunday and Monday are still expected to feel a little muggy, and there’s a slight chance of precipitation.

“It will be hot in those mid- to upper 80s, about 87, 88 degrees on Labor Day,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said Wednesday morning. “We’ll still be partly cloudy. Still humid, but (the) rain chance is only about 20 percent.”

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

The holiday period, which runs from Thursday, Aug. 28 through Monday, Sept. 1, calls for road trips, end-of-summer showdowns and some good ‘ol traffic congestion.

The AAA predicts auto travel will increase by 1.4 percent this year, amounting to nearly 30 million travelers on the roads.

But while traffic may put a damper on the day, consumers will be happy to know that August gas prices are at their lowest since 2010. Compared to last year’s gas price average of $3.59, current prices average $3.44.

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Worst times to travel

The folks behind safe driving app Drivemode analyzed the worst pre-holiday weekend traffic in the largest U.S. metros based on more than 756,000 anonymized Android users.

As Atlantans head out for Labor Day weekend, Drivemode warns “leaving after lunch (2pm-4pm) was the slowest drive in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Riverside, Tampa, and Miami” on Thursday, and on Friday, try to avoid the post-8 p.m. jam.

» RELATED: 6 Intown Atlanta things to do during the 2018 Labor Day weekend

According to the study, it’ll take you approximately 4.31 minutes to drive one mile during Atlanta’s slowest Thursday hour (2-3 p.m.) and 5.83 minutes during the slowest Friday hour (9-10 p.m.)

Sound brutal? At least you’re not in Boston, where drivers can expect to spend more than seven minutes to drive just one mile between 5-6 p.m. Thursday.

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More times to avoid, according to Waze 2016 data:

» RELATED: Atlanta traffic among worst in the world, study finds

Crowds to keep in mind during Labor Day weekend in Atlanta:

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Where’s everyone headed?

Researchers with navigation app Waze, who compared user data on 2017 Labor Day trends, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the country saw a 215 percent spike in navigations to scenic lookout points last year, a 76 percent increase to ice cream shops and a nearly 70 percent increase in navigations to parks and theme parks.

Atlantans may flock to Anna Ruby Falls, Brasstown Bald, Providence Canyon or Stone Mountain for some beautiful lookouts, and we can't begin to guess which of the delicious ice cream shops will garner the most attention, but our bet's on this year's AJC Best of Atlanta winner, Berens Frozen Custard, or the runner-up, Butter & Cream Ice Cream.

» RELATED: Metro Atlanta's 10 most consistently awful traffic hotspots

To celebrate the end of summer, you may be considering heading to one of Georgia's lush parks, such as the ever-popular Piedmont Park, Elberton's Russell State Park or the state's other breathtaking camping sites.

As for theme parks, if you haven't caught a ride on Six Flags Over Georgia's new Twisted Cyclone roller coaster, that might make for an ideal end-of-summer holiday bash.

Thinking of opting for a road trip? There's Helen, overlooked beaches you'll love and other one-tank trips from Atlanta.

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More Labor Day coverage from The AJC: