AMERICADE WEATHER

* "There is a sumptuous variety about the New England weather that compels the stranger's admiration .......... The weather is always doing something there; always attending to business; always getting up new designs and trying them on the people, to see how they will go." - Mark Twain

However, it CAN vary from this*, with temperatures 10+ degrees (F) different, or rain. Some MiniTours go up to nearby mountain summits, where it can be as cool as 50F (10C).

There's another factor, too. Most of the commercial sites like "Accuweather", tend to forecast pessimistically because:

1. legal liability if they say "nice" and the wet weather, or storm, got blamed by some lawyer for causing an accident
2. their websites and TV programs get more viewers if they forecast extreme conditions: hot, cold, wet, windy.

2008 Forecast vs Actual

2007: It was a typical Ameri-Week with a little of everything. Although Americade Week started cool and wet, it quickly improved to be one of the nicest years ever, with plenty of sunshine and temps in the 80s by the end of the week. Tuesday became windy, and after thunderstorms passed to the south, the southerly breezes brought warming temperatures. After a damp Wednesday morning, the temps rose through the 60s. Thursday was sunny and dry with temperatures rising to 70. Friday became hot and humid (upper 80s) and a thunderstorm rolled through around midnight. Saturday was perfect for the Dunlop Parade and the BMW BBQ atop Prospect Mountain, dry and 80 degrees, with a bright sun.

2006: The wettest and coldest 2nd week of June in recent history. It was as if Mother Nature heard Americaders complain about 2005's record heat, and showed what she could do in the other direction ! That said, Tuesday was a gorgeous blue sky day, but the rest of Americade Week was generally overcast, or worse. The weather forecasts were overly pessimistic (what's new?) and although the forecast was for rain on Friday and Saturday, both the Friday Evening Awards & Excalibur Fireworks, and the Saturday Dunlop Parade and BMW BBQ were completely rain-free.

2005: After a late Spring, no one could complain about the cold at Americade 2005. The beginning of June brought record heat & humidity to northern NY State with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees (F) above normal. On Monday of Americade Week, there were even tornado warnings for the region. Rain was generally very localized, with Roaring Brook getting a downpour on Thursday night.

2004: Nearly perfect! Coming after a cool and wet Spring 2004, the early-week warmth (record warm on Wed) felt good to many folks. It was sunny, hazy and warm for the beginning of the week. Then a brief, cooling downpour on Wednesday night led to clear, sunny days with high temps around 69/70F for the latter part of Americade Week. What a great week !

2003: Temperatures here in early June are normally: daytimes in the mid-70's and evenings in the mid-50's, perfect riding temperatures. But this year, most of June was cool and wet. However, Americade 2003 was fairly lucky, and although Sunday June 1 was cool and wet, the rest of the week (except for Thursday morning) was pretty good weather. Friday was especially nice.

2002: The week started clear and cool with daytime ~70F and eves in the 40s. Wed was warm & cloudy; Thursday was wet, and Fri/Sat were perfect with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s.

2001: Although the good old weather man had predicted mostly wet weather, Americade 2001 had great weather! We enjoyed mostly sunny skies with daytime temps around 80F (28C). It was a marvelous Americade Week!

2000: Y2K brought a little of everything. Terrible Tuesday set records for drenching rain, Wed. - Friday was warm & cloudy with very scattered showers, and Saturday was such a brilliant, perfect day, as if to say "see just how nice it CAN be."

1999: brought record heat to the early part of Americade Week, with high temps in the 90's(F). By week's end, temps returned to normal. There was no significant daytime rainfall all week.

1998: brought record low temperatures for Americade Week. It was mostly dry, but daytime temps ranged from 60 to 75 (F); nighttime was about 15 (F) lower.

1997: Although it did rain south of Albany, the Lake George area was dry all week. Temperatures were: daytime, 80's (~28C); evenings, 55F (12C) to 70F (21C).