Jim Schreck, owner of Lenny and Joe's Fishtale in Madison, says any weather would be better than last year's July Fourth weather, "last year people were outside in jackets." That won't happen this year with temperatures forecast to come close to 90.
"Our business is 100 percent weather. With this kind of weather we'll be jammed so we're pretty lucky," Schreck said.
He says this week is the busiest of the year and can make or break a season. This weekend they expect to do 6000 meals.
Lynnae Lajoie of Cromwell got an early start to the weekend with some shopping and seafood in Madison Friday. "This is perfect weather to come down and enjoy yourself," Lajoie said. But she will stay away from the shore this weekend since the crowds will likely be huge.
On the other side of Madison, near the Guilford line, Balladinos, a deli famous for its chicken cutlet hero, was doing steady business all day Friday with people on their way to the beach and visiting the shoreline from out of town. Owner Dino Landino says he'll be closed Sunday and Monday but the great weather has brought people to the shore, "Vacationers have been coming in and hopefully they keep coming and the weather keeps them here out and about."
John French, visiting Guilford from Maui, Hawaii, can't wait for the nice weather but could do without the humidity, "I'm pretty stoked. It's going to be nice and warm. Going to get out on the water, a couple cocktails, it's going to be a good time."
The unseasonably warm spring has lead to some unseasonably warm water temperatures. The current water temperature in New Haven is 67 degrees. That's almost unheard of for early summer.
