By CHRISSY PRICHARD

and JESSICA NICOSIA

This summer’s heat waves may be trying the patience of upstate New Yorkers, but they also mean a bump in tourism for the Adirondacks and surrounding regions.

Many local industries and small businesses depend on the hot, dry weather to drive downstate residents to the cool, shaded lakes and forests.

And as some celebrate the increase in tourism, others are starting to worry about the risks of prolonged dry heat.

Many businesses that involve getting in or on the water have seen a definite increase in customers.

“We’ve had great weather,” said Katie Wojdyla, Director of Marketing at Enchanted Forest Water Safari. “It’s definitely impacting business. We’re holding our own compared to last year. The bulk of our business is toward the end of July and August. We’re hoping that if the weather continues we’ll be ahead of last year.”

According to Gary Staab of Adirondack River Outfitters, it’s been a really busy season for his Black River and Hudson River white water rafting trips. “It’s been so hot, people are getting on the water as much as they can,” he said.

Although the heat boosts his rafting business, Staab says the dry weather can also take its toll. For example, he says the Moose River has been too low this summer for rafting trips, due to the lack of rain.  

According to Linda Ellison, Operations Manager at the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, regular ticket sales this summer have been about the same as last year. Although the heat brings a lot more tourists to the area, the train is often busiest on rainy days, which have been few and far between. However, their River and Rail trips, which operate in conjunction with Tickner’s Canoes in Old Forge, have been very popular this year.

“We’ve seen almost a 100 percent increase in riders for these trips,” she says.

Although it’s been hot in the Adirondacks, its still cooler than places to the south, according to Town of Webb Tourism Director Mike Farmer.

“The weather we consider hot and sticky is a major relief to people in the Mohawk Valley, Central and Western New York and the Southern Tier. Due to the hot, dry weather everywhere, many areas are experiencing serious drought conditions,” says Farmer. “Although our water levels are down, we have a bounty compared to most areas, and our water recreation is in great shape,” he says.

Warm, dry weather also tends to bring a lot more campers to the Adirondacks. Nick’s Lake Campground has had no trouble keeping sites full this summer, according to Department of Environmental Conservation Region 6 Spokesperson Steve Litwhiler.

“They’re totally full four nights a week, with very few vacancies on the other nights,” he says.

The number of campers can only increase so much, because there’s only so many sites, he pointed out. “They can’t get any fuller if they’re already full,” he said.

Nick’s Lake also offers a sandy beach and a picnic area for day use, which he says has seen an increase in usage this summer.

Although the average temperature this summer has equaled out to near normal, there have been more extreme high temperatures than usual.

“We’ve been above normal,” said Steve DiRienzo, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albany. “At the Albany airport we usually average about ten days per year of 90 or above. We have already had ten days, maybe 11 days.”

The normal temperature for July is 71.8 degrees at the Albany Airport, but the average was 75.4 degrees by mid-July, according to DiRienzo.

The heat is helpful to the local economy for now, but tides could turn if it continues for too long.

According to DiRienzo there is a risk of drought with the recent weather. Although there is a localized risk every summer, it is only about three times a decade that there is a month of high temperatures and little rain across such a large area. But an extreme state or country-wide drought is extremely rare.

“We could certainly use some rain,” said DiRienzo. “We don’t want flooding. It would be nice if it was spread out. But it never works like that.”

According to the National Weather Service website, heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, more than floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined.

“We put out a high fire danger warning and typically that doesn’t happen until late August. Our fire season has come a few weeks early,” said DEC Region 5 spokesman Dave Winchell. “As far as danger from the heat, we do seem to have an increased number of rescues for people getting dehydrated hiking mountains,” he added.

While many local residents have struggled with these unusually hot days, there are not many complaints. In a region where the summers tend to be short, the pleasant weather has been welcomed by business owners who need to make the most of a season that always seems to go by too quickly. After a slow winter with little snowfall, many area businesses have been counting on a busy summer to get caught up.

Most local business owners say that business has been very good this summer. Even in this economy, getting away is still important to people.

“People are still traveling for vacation. They are not traveling as far, and not as often, but they will not give it up; nor should they,” says Farmer.

As any Adirondacker can tell you, the weather around here is always changing. With about six weeks of summer remaining before fall begins, there’s no telling how the rest of the season will play out. And with most local and seasonal workers depending on tourism in one way or another this time of year, which is often driven by the weather, all these beautiful summer days have been a godsend.