DOVER — It will likely be raining buckets and tourists this weekend, if predictions from both the National Weather Service and state tourism officials prove to be on the money.

"Columbus Day weekend concludes the busiest part of the fall travel season for New Hampshire," said tourism Director Alice DeSouza. "Visitors can experience the splendor of our foliage from a fire tower, the Conway Scenic Railway, quintessential New Hampshire villages, on Golden Pond, the porch of a grand hotel, or over wine in one of our many charming restaurants in a breathtaking New Hampshire setting."

Meterologist John Cannon of the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine predicts a largely wet weekend, with Friday and Saturday likely bringing the most rainfall. Cannon said the state could see up to a couple inches of rain over those two days. Friday temperatures are predicted to be in 60s, with Saturday coming in slightly cooler.

Further, according to the press release from the tourism department, most of the visitors for Columbus Day weekend will be from New England and New York state. Canadians are anticipated to come to New Hampshire in greater numbers than last year and visitors from Europe will also increase.

Resorts, hotels, motels and campgrounds should each see a 1 percent increase in average occupancy rates for the weekend over last year. Many visitors will be staying with friends and relatives or at second homes. A significant share of the visitors will be on day trips from adjacent states, especially Massachusetts.

Outdoor recreation, historic attractions, scenic drives, leaf peeping, events, and visiting friends and relatives are important Columbus Day weekend activities. Shopping is also an done by vacationers in New Hampshire.

Business travel and group tours are anticipated to be higher than Columbus Day weekend 2004. Additionally, air travel into Manchester continues to set records. Foliage has begun to peak in the White Mountains, thus it should be a color-filled weekend in New Hampshire, provided the weather and the foliage cooperate.

"The big question energy analysts are pondering this week is whether U.S. consumers have finally tired of expensive gasoline and are in the midst of meaningful change in their fuel consumption habits," said AAA spokesman Matt Mckenzie. "If so, this could drive some speculators out of the energy markets and might keep gasoline prices from moving much higher this winter. Evidence that this may be the case is growing, although it is not yet conclusive."

According to the Automobile Association of American, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline a year ago cost $1.91 for the Manchester, N.H. market. This year the average price at $2.79 per gallon.

More specifically, the cost of filling a 15-gallon-tank a year ago in Dover would, on average, have cost $28.55; this year the same tank would cost $41.83.

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