Industry recognizes wireless sensor networks as one of the next major technical and economical shifts in automation and control systems. Industrial applications need performance assurances of wireless communication, which is hard to attain given the variability of the environment where such applications are deployed. In this paper, we quantify the impact of environmental conditions, namely temperature, fog, and rain on wireless communication links. We further investigate the influence of industrial casing on communication, evaluating an ATEX enclosure intended for use in potential ly explosive atmospheres. Knowledge of the potential impact of environmental conditions and special casings provides an important input to robust communication design during deployment planning.