Warming trend continues

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 2/9/2011 5:20:52 AM

LAST JANUARY trended warmer than the year prior for the nation as a whole, but below average. The Pacific Northwest was very mild with the retail January trending as the warmest in more than 18 years.
     Snowfall was much less than the year prior with the least snow in four to six years across the North. The South actually trended much snowier with the most snowfall in 14 years. Early January was one of the coldest in decades across the South with record-breaking freezes in Florida, a negative for outdoor living categories.
     This month will trend warmer with 70% of the country warmer than last year. However, colder temperatures will be nearby in Canada so one or two cold snaps are possible.
     Across the North, wetter and snowier weather will dampen store traffic but increase demand for cold weather categories. Drier conditions and milder weather across the South will increase demand for outdoor living categories. Much warmer year-over-year temperatures early in the month across the nation will be favorable for holiday clearance.

TEMPERATURE	NATIONAL JANUARY TEMPERATURE INDEX
PRECIPITATION	NATIONAL JANUARY PRECIPITATION INDEX