The estimated 112,000 North Dakotans traveling more than 50 miles from home for the Thanksgiving holiday should see decent weather, along with higher gas prices and more Highway Patrol troopers.

North Dakota AAA spokesman Gene LaDoucer said he had no figures on whether the estimated number of travelers in the state was up from last year but said the number nationwide was expected to be up 3.1 percent.

There was the possibility of heavy snow in some parts of the Midwest, but not close by.

"Here in North Dakota and nearby states, it looks like ideal traveling weather," LaDoucer said.

The National Weather Service forecast called for a chance of rain or snow in parts of the state today and Friday, but no precipitation over the weekend.

One drawback to traveling by car was gasoline prices. The average price of a gallon of unleaded gas in North Dakota on Wednesday was $1.94, up 43 cents from last Thanksgiving, LaDoucer said.

Highway Patrol Capt. Mark Bethke said more troopers than usual will be keeping an eye on motorists.

"What we'll be concentrating on is the peak travel times … (Wednesday) afternoon and evening and again on Sunday," he said. "It would not be unusual for the motoring public to see two or three of our troopers working closely in a short stretch of road."

No sobriety checkpoints were planned in the state, Bethke said, but troopers were focusing on seat belt and child restraint infractions, alcohol violations and speeders.

At Hector International in Fargo, the state's busiest airport, traffic on Wednesday was heavy, but there were no unusually long lines at security points or other problems, airport director Shawn Dobberstein said.

"Things are going well," he said.

More people were traveling by rail, as well. Duane Veach, the Amtrak agent in Rugby, said there were 204 passengers on the westbound Empire Builder train Wednesday morning, compared with about 125 on a typical day.

He said extra workers were required at the stations in Fargo and Grand Forks, and the train was about an hour late in arriving at Rugby.

"Thanksgiving is our biggest travel weekend of the entire year," Veach said.