The maps show last week’s (weekending April 28TH, 2007) temperature and precipitation trends compared to the same week last year (weekending April 29th, 2006).
DISCUSSION: National temperatures last week were +2.6°F WARMER than last year and +2.8°F ABOVE NORMAL for the nation as a whole. This breaks the 3-week stretch of very cold weather. Despite the late surge in warmer weather, the calendar April is estimated to rank 23rd coldest in 113 years of records, the greatest change ever toward colder weather (last year ranked #1 warmest). This makes it the coldest April since 1997 when retail same-store sales averaged +2.9%, this year is expected to fare worse due to the earlier Easter shift, precipitation trending the wettest in four years and the snowiest in at least 14 years. However, the nicer weekend weather across most of the country did bring a much needed boost for seasonal category sales. Gasoline prices actually trended down 1.5% compared to last year, the first decline in over three months. Q1 2007 (Feb-Apr) has shown the greatest change toward colder, wetter and snowier weather since 1995 when quarterly sales averaged just +2.9%. Last year Q1 gains were +4.4% with a warm/dry Spring boosting sales.