Depending on your location in the U.S., it might already feel like summer—but the official first day is June 20, 2025. Astronomy-lovers might know that this is the summer solstice, the day that the sun travels along the northernmost path. This event marks the astronomical start of summer for the northern hemisphere. And for many of us, it also means the start of our favorite time of year!
In honor of that, here are six fun facts/data points about summer weather, activities, and foods:
- And the hottest city/state award goes to… We all know that summer brings warmer weather across the United States, but any guesses what state and city ar the hottest? According to statewide climate mapping by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Environmental Information, these states and cities had the highest average summer temperatures in 2024 (June-August data):
| Rank | State | City |
| 1 | Texas, 83.9°F | Death Valley, CA, 105.4°F |
| 2 | Florida, 83.5°F | Phoenix, AZ, 98.9°F |
| 3 | Louisiana, 82.7°F | Yuma, AZ, 95.3°F |
| 4 | Arizona, 82.0°F | Las Vegas, AZ, 94.8°F |
| 5 | Oklahoma, 81.7°F | Del Rio, TX, 90.9°F |
- It’s hot dog season. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, that’s a real entity), summer is the most popular time of the year for hot dog eating in the United States. Hot dog producers estimate that about 38% of hot dogs sales each year occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Their estimate: Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs during that period! About 10% of annual retail hot dog sales occur during July, aka, National Hot Dog Month.
- Summer brings busy airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported several of the highest passenger volumes for 2024 on summer days. Of the 366 days (remember, 2024 was a leap year), 17 of the top 25 busiest travel days occurred between June 20 and August 31. And Sunday, July 7, 2024, came in at the #2 highest travel volume per TSA—a whopping 3,013,622 passengers!
- We have bright minds to thank for the simplest cooling inventions. The Department of Energy shares some interesting facts about a few inventions that changed the way we live (read: more comfortably!) Physician Dr. John Gorrie of Florida invented the first ice-making machine in 1848 and was granted a patent in 1851. Engineer Willis Carrier of New York created a system to control humidity using cooling coils in 1902. He was working for the Buffalo Forge Company and was tasked with solving problem with Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company’s problem of wrinkling magazine pages. Carrier formed his own company thereafter, which installed the very first cooling system for Los Angeles movie theaters in 1922. Others built on these and other people’s advancements, and the first home cooling system came along in the 1930s. It wasn’t affordable until the mid-1940s, however.
- Summer brings back-to-school shopping for consumers. Retail Dive’s analysis of U.S. Commerce Department data from 2024 showed that summer spending hit its peak in August, totaling $254.52 billion in sales for the month. This was a jump from July 2024 ($250.37 billion) and an increase of 4.3% year over year. Apparel sales increased 2.5% and general store sales increased 4.6% compared to August 2023. Although the summer months don’t compare to the holiday season (November-December) for retail sales, they typically bring in more sales than months like January-May.
- Expect knee-high corn in the Midwest. Summer is the time to enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables and hit the farmers markets. But if there’s one crop the U.S. is known for, it’s corn. We are the largest corn producer in the world, with Iowa growing more corn than any state. June to mid-September is prime corn growing season, so if you have a road trip planned through Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, or other Midwest states this summer, you’ll see corn growing as far as the eye can see. Yum!
Whether you’re a restaurant or retail chain or run another multi-site business, having access to data is important as you plan, strategize, and make decisions. We’re having a little fun with the data mentioned in this blog, but SiteSeer has many data partners that offer all kinds of data—from vehicle traffic data to demographic data, from cell phone data to planned construction data.
If our team can help you step up your retail analytics, contact us to learn more about SiteSeer, our data sources, and of course, our powerful site selection and market analysis platform.
In the meantime, we wish you a great month ahead as we all say hello to summer and all the good things it brings. Enjoy this amazing season!
