It was a different story in the West. A building summer high pressure system in the Rockies produced temperatures well into the 90s as far north as Canada. The Desert Southwest continued to bake with temperatures in the 100s (110s in Phoenix). Hurricane Felix formed late week in the southern Caribbean and rapidly developed.
Consumer Impact in the East/Mid-Western North America: Cooler temperatures (and much drier conditions in the water-logged Midwest) stimulated good early fall demand, particularly for transitional apparel and footwear. Store traffic was robust with the very pleasant weather.
In the South, the cooler change was offset by the increased precipitation. While the rains were a positive development given the severe drought, it negatively impacted store traffic and outdoor activities.
Consumer Impact in the Western Portions of North America: The very warm temperatures were a boost to retailers looking to sell through late summer items, but provided a sluggish environment for early fall sales.
marketing@alchempro.com
