The summer solstice officially arrives Saturday at 5:44 p.m., heralding the longest day and shortest night of the year.
Around Erie, expect mostly sunny skies, a high temperature near 81 degrees and calm winds.
Above-average temperatures in June have been a pleasant surprise after a spring of mixed weather results.
An extra 380,000 visitors have jogged, biked, walked, fished and otherwise spent time at Presque Isle State Park from March through mid-June compared to that same stretch in 2019, according to Matt Greene, the park’s operations manager.
With Erie County entrenched in the state’s yellow phase since May 8, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the peninsula “one of the few things going on in town,” Greene said.
“We’re seeing really high numbers of visitors and it feels like the crowds that we typically see in mid-to-late July and August,” Greene said. “We’re looking forward to a great summer.”