Weekly Weather Flash December 4 17 US THIS WEEK: Coldest Temperatures of the Season Across the Country; Snow Expected Throughout the Northern Tier A LOOK AHEAD: Cold in Most Locations; Warm in the Southwest; Rain in the West and East Europe THIS WEEK: Cold Conditions to Start the Week; Warmth Returns by Weekend A LOOK AHEAD: Cooler than Last Year Though Above to Near Normal; Wet in the West
US WEEK OF DECEMBER 4-10 Retail implications: Across the country, demand for winter categories will be strong due to cold weather, which will benefit weekend holiday shopping. Last year this week, the weather was warm and dry: The US had its warmest second week of December and the least snow in over 55 years last year. It was also the driest week since 2010. 29% Boots Wintry feeling across the country: Early to midweek, the first major blast of winter air will bring bone-chilling temperatures to the Western and Central US. Later in the week, the cold air will move into the East, and temperatures will dip below freezing well into the Southeast. Some snow expected: Early in the week, Interior Northeast locations will see light snowfall, and there is potential for additional snowfall across major locations into the weekend. Light snow will track from the Northwest to the Central Plains midweek. Severe weather in the Southeast: Two fronts will move across the Deep South early and late in the week, bringing much-needed rain to the region. Severe weather, including high winds and tornadoes, is possible. 2
US WEEK OF DECEMBER 11 17 Retail implications: Demand for products such as warm beverages, blankets and winter accessories is expected to rise across the country, except in the Southwest, due to cold weather. Last year this week, the weather was warm and wet: The US had its warmest third week of December since 2006. It was also the wettest week since 1983, although snowfall was below normal. 11% Fleece Cold in most locations: Through the middle of the week, temperatures will be colder than normal and last year across most of the country. Warmth will begin to develop in the West and creep eastward later in the week. Overall, the Southwest will average warmer than both normal and last year, while the rest of the country will be colder than normal and last year. Wet in the West and East: Locations from Washington to Northern California out into the Northern Plains will see rain and mountain snow. More rain is possible across the East, with a chance for snow in the Northeast. 3
Europe WEEK OF DECEMBER 4-10 Lemonade Hun Coffee Germany Bulgaria Retail implications: In many locations across Europe, demand for seasonal products will gradually decrease throughout the week as temperatures rise. A cold start: Most of Europe will see conditions that are colder than normal and last year for the first couple of days of the week. Scandinavia and Iberia will both be a bit warmer, but showers are expected, along with snow in the North. The rest of Europe will be dry. Warming again: Warmth in the Iberian Peninsula will spread northward along the Atlantic Coast, then eastward across the continent. The Southeast will hold out the longest, but warmer temperatures will reach the area by the end of the week. Expect a mix of rain and snow across the North as warmer air replaces the cold Siberian air mass. 4
Europe WEEK OF DECEMBER 11 17 Tea Umbrellas Italy Croatia Retail implications: In the West, demand for rainwear will increase due to wet weather. Yearover-year demand for winter categories will increase due to colder-than-last-year conditions. Mild, but cooler than last year: Most locations across the continent will see temperatures gradually slip from above to near normal readings. However, temperatures will remain cooler than last year, when near-record warmth was recorded. Rain in the West: Rain and snow will fall across the North early in the week. By Tuesday, a low-pressure system will bring rain to the Southwest. By Thursday, the system will begin to merge with the northern stream, resulting in rain for much of Western Europe. 5
Deborah Weinswig, CPA Managing Director Fung Global Retail & Technology New York: 917.655.6790 Hong Kong: 852.6119.1779 China: 86.186.1420.3016 deborahweinswig@fung1937.com Charlie Poon Research Assistant Ivy Huang Research Assistant HONG KONG: 8 th Floor, LiFung Tower 888 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon Hong Kong Tel: 852 2300 4406 LONDON: 242-246 Marylebone Road London, NW1 6JQ United Kingdom Tel: 44 (0)20 7616 8988 NEW YORK: 1359 Broadway, 9 th Floor New York, NY 10018 Tel: 646 839 7017 FungGlobalRetailTech.com 6