How did the rain wash away tourism dollars in the northeast?
OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (AP) — Relentless rain and cool weather since early June have sent visitors scrambling home and washed away millions of tourism dollars across the Northeast. But the first 80-degree readings this month gave a glimmer of hope Friday that summer can be salvaged. June was the wettest on record in Atlantic City, N.J., and the second-wettest in New York City. In Portland, rain fell on 21 of the final 24 days of the month. And July hasn’t been much better. Rain continued and it was chilly, failing to hit 60 three times in Portland. In Old Orchard Beach, after the sun peeked out on the Fourth of July weekend, the rain returned with a vengeance, closing the historic pier and amusement rides, along with a nearby water park and theme park. Even when the sun shone, a chilly breeze left beachgoers with goose bumps.
