July 2, 2009 Seasonal business comes to standstill in NH Play video

(NECN: Lauren Collins, Manchester, NH) - Thursday's early downpours made it tough for some to get around southern New Hampshire. A stretch of Route 121 in Auburn was submerged under the unusually high waters of Lake Massabesic, and the storm drains quickly spilled over Salem's Main Street during heavy rains.

But at least you were dry if you were inside a car. Dave Dawson isn't so lucky because, as he says, "I ride a motorcycle and i don't own a car so I've been wet for weeks."

Richard Komi was getting around downtown Manchester by foot Thursday and said the last month has "been very difficult for me. I'm not used to so much rain."

Last month ended as one of the top ten wettest Junes on record, and July is not off to a great start.

Komi "was expecting that this is July, we'll have plenty of sunshine, but instead we have rain. And I was looking forward to having some good time on the beach this summer, and that is not happening."

With flood warnings and advisories in effect for half of New Hampshire, homeowners prepared to bail out their basements. But as of mid-day Thursday, the sump pumps were suspiciously quiet.

So was business at Canobie Lake Park, where the empty parking lot and locked gate signaled a dreary March day and not the start of the July Fourth weekend

Just down the road at Hawksie's Ice Cream, owner Dana Pignato says the season has "been long and slow. The economy's not helping anybody but the weather being

The flora hasn't faired much better. The end leaves of many roadside trees are already changing color because their root systems are stressed in the saturated soil.

"The water is ruining everything," says Barbara Ingalls at Delahunty's Nurseries and Florist in Windham where business is hurting because nobody is in the mood for planting. The annuals are ruined, and there's little anyone can do now to save their water logged gardens.

"You're gonna have to wait for the sun to see what the sun will bring. If it will dry it out enough for it to live."

And about that illusive sun, Dawson is confident. "I know the sun will come out. In November."