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SHOPPING OUTLOOK

The start of the back-to-school shopping season (July 22 to July 28) will get off to a better start than each of the two previous years, with cooler and wetter weather across much of the nation. Cooler and wetter weather can be a positive for shopping malls this time of year, producing an increase in store traffic. If shoppers can’t spend the day at the pool or beach because it’s raining, they will instead head to the mall. Outdoor-themed lifestyle centers and stand-alone retailers, on the other hand, tend to see less store traffic during rainy weather.

Back-to-school awareness campaigns will be more effective this year, as wet weather will keep shoppers indoors watching more TV. Lightweight fall apparel, footware and school supplies will be the strongest sellers across the north, while further south it will still be very warm and humid, which is typical for midsummer. Thus, expect lightweight apparel such as tanks, T-shirts and shorts to be in higher demand.

The following forecasts from Weather Trends International are based on a statistical methodology using 110 years of weather records. Weather Trends forecasts are created 11 months in advance and are intended to identify weather trends. The forecast accuracy averages 75% or better by week and by market. For more information, contact Jack Grum (610) 807-3586 or visit www.wxtrends.com.