Though the 2010 Ann Arbor Art Fairs seemed, by most accounts, to have had a strong opening day, gathering clouds, a tornado watch, and a siren (sounded in error) caused fair-goers and artists to turn their focus to weather conditions on Thursday evening.

Of course, tech gadgets like smartphones now provide many artists with their own constantly updated forecasts; but State Street Area Art Fair director Kathy Krick was nonetheless making the rounds on North University before 5 p.m. “There are a lot of glass artists on this street, so I want them to be aware of what’s going on,” said Krick.

A hard rain was falling by 6 p.m., causing the majority of artists to take down works displayed on booth exteriors and close up their tents. Individuals and small clusters of fair-goers who were making an art purchase stood sheltered in the occasional tent, while far larger numbers amassed beneath the nearest available overhang or marquee, hoping to wait out the deluge. (Amazingly, though, local pianist/Energizer Bunny Mark Lincoln Braun, known as Mr. B, kept right on playing beneath a tent at the Street Art Fair while the rain poured down.)

“Do I wish the weather gods would picnic instead of rain dance? Of course,” said Debra “Max” Clayton, director of the Summer Art Fair, after our first phone conversation was disrupted by a tornado watch announcement. “But that’s just part of doing Art Fair.”

All four directors seem generally pleased with attendance during the first two days. “My own personal barometer is, when I ride in to work, I go right past the Pioneer High shuttle,” said Clayton. “Early in the morning, before we’d even opened, it was jam-packed, and then late last night, when I went home, it was still jam-packed.”

Meanwhile, South University Art Fair director Maggie Ladd said, “It’s difficult for us to gauge, because our streets are so much wider than State Street, and even maybe Main Street … So I have to go by what artists telling me, and they’re telling me good things.”

South U. jewelry artist BJ Mackie reported having strong sales early on, but she voiced concern about the weather.

“It’s been OK,” said Mackie. “But with rain possibly expected the next two days, not OK.”

Mackie reported that from her perspective, several of this year’s Art Fairs attendees seemed to walk a straight line down the center of the street, not really stopping at booths along the way. “And usually the people that would come out after dinner time, or after work, they usually bought, but not this year, so far.”

Summer Art Fair glass artist Jackie Russo had a slightly different story to tell Thursday afternoon. “We have, so far, had an excellent show,” said Russo. “Lot of interest, lot of good questions, lot of sales. … You don’t know how it will wash out in the end, but so far, it’s been better than last year. Today’s been a slow day, but (Wednesday) was gangbusters.”

Of course, there will never be consistent reports among the Fairs’ artists, since attendees’ tastes, and willingness to buy, will necessarily fluctuate.

“We actually did better (on opening day) than we did last year on Wednesday,” said State Street Fair artist Jim McCollum. “Traffic was pretty good. Today, though, has been slow.”

Thursday is often “softer,” in terms of sales, than the Fairs’ other days, but a very strong opening day helped even things out.

“We had a great first day,” said Krick. “I’m still hearing about it from the artists today. It might have been our best first day in a long time.”

Street Art Fair director Maureen Riley agreed. “Most of the artists I’ve talked to are quite pleased. There seems be a sense that the economy’s improving in Michigan.”

Clayton seemed slightly more reserved in her assessment. “I talked to a lot of artists today, and sales are OK, but it’s not the best year ever,” she said. “Last year was a really good year, so everyone’s comparing with that.”

Fifty-something fair-goer Diane Droste — who came from the Ortonville/Holly area with her son Jarret and his friend Samantha Marth — hadn’t been to the Fairs since she’d been a high school student. (“It looks like it got a lot bigger,” she said.) But she gave voice to the intention of many attendees: “If I see something I really, really like, and the price is right, I’ll buy it.”

Frankenmuth’s Beverly Jesselaitis and Bernetta Boveyn, meanwhile, found a lot they really, really liked (and bought): jewelry, pottery, lawn ornaments, clothes, clocks and frames.

“(We came) just to look, but we bought,” said Boveyn.

“We looked at everything we bought,” added Jesselaitis.

Like Droste, Jesselaitis hadn’t been to the Fairs since she was in high school, but both she and Boveyn are new converts to the Fairs, calling them “great,” “wonderful,” and “supreme.”

But whether more such customers make it out to the Fairs this year depends on the weather. And Clayton, for her part, refuses to put too much stock in long-range forecasts, good or bad.

“I don’t trust anything further out than 24 hours,” she said. “I’ve lost too many nights’ sleep that way, and it always changes.”

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.