Warmer, drier weather bodes well for business

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 7/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Last year brought the hottest July in more than 20 years for the United States as a whole.
     The East was baking in what seemed like endless heat waves, but temperatures reached their peak during the third week of the month which was one of the Top 3 hottest weeks of the past 100 years in the North Central and Northeast states. Meanwhile, summer seemed to have bypassed the West, where temperatures were the coolest in more than 10 years. The extreme heat was a detriment to sales in outdoor living categories as many consumers opted for cool, air conditioned buildings rather than sweltering in the heat outside.
     This month, much of the nation will still be warmer than normal, although locations just along the Pacific and Eastern seaboard will see a return to more normal temperatures. The West will trend warmer than last year, while the East will be a bit cooler than last year's sweltering heat. Warmer and drier weather in the West will make this the most favorable area for a year-over-year lift in demand for outdoor living categories.