13 Dec '25 wt360 Weather Brief - A December THAW!
Captain's Log
13 Dec '25: Happy Saturday! :)
It was a mixed emotion week for Team wt360 as our long-time super star employee Bruce Firth retired after 18.5 years! We'll miss him! CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW
The wt360 AI summary today is on the 25 days before Christmas which will end up being the coldest in 3 years, 11% wetter than last year and snowiest in 12 years. This has been a benefit to Winter merchandise with categories like snow throwers up +34% just due to weather, heaters +31%, while holiday outdoor decor down -3% due to the stormy weather. The East has been the bigger winner for snow categories (+42%) over the West Coast (-37%). National energy demand +12% benefiting utility companies, but a surprise cost for many businesses.
Fortunately, FLU cases are still the least in 4 years and dramatically less than the huge surge back in 2022. This has more of the population healthy which benefits holiday store traffic, but weather clearly disruptive to this point.
Season-to-date U.S. Snowfall (1 Oct - 13 Dec) is trending up +108%, the most in 6 years and 15th most in 40 years (above average). The big winners have been in the Midwest, Great Lakes and interior New England.
Season-to-date (1 Aug - 13 Dec) cold days less than 32F nationally now trending +7% vs last year, most in 3 years, but 10th least of the past 40 years.
U.S. weekly snowfall trends show this week (7-13 Dec) the snowiest of the season so far with a temporary lull next week.
Last week (7-13 Dec) across the World shows the U.S. with another cold week trending -2.6F colder than last year, coldest in 9 years and 16th coldest of the past 40 years. It was a tale of two halves - cold East, warm West. Snowfall up a whopping +239% over last year, most in 12 years and 6th most of the past 40 years, while rainfall was down -50% and least in 5 years. These are somewhat disruptive trends for store traffic and holiday shopping but continues to benefit must have Winter seasonal items. Canada was clearly the cold spot, while the U.K. and Europe very warm.
This week (14-20 Dec) before Christmas will start to show a moderating trend with the warmth in the West gradually moving East. The U.S. overall trends -3.1F colder than last year, coldest in 3 years but 15th warmest of the past 40 year. Snow finally takes a reprieve with -32% less than last year and 12th least of the past 40 years, while rainfall is -5% drier vs LY and driest in 8 years. These are improving trends to an extent, but this weekend is snowy in the Coastal Northeast with another Clipper snow event (Saturday 13th-Sunday 14th). Continued very heavy flooding rain/snow for the Pacific Northwest.
The 6-day snowfall outlook (13-18 Dec) shows 45% of the U.S. getting some snow with another Alberta Clipper sweeping from the Plains to the Middle Atlantic and Coastal Northeast. Snowfall for the period +213% over LY, most in 3 years and 20th most in 40 years.
Next week (21-27 Dec) Christmas week shows the moderating temperature trend early in the week, but another glancing shot of the Polar Vortex likely for the Northern third of the U.S. will start to push in. The U.S. overall is -0.4 colder than last year, coldest in 3 years, but 7th warmest of the past 40 years with very mild conditions across the Southern half of the Country. Snowfall up +264% vs last year, most in 3 years but 12th least in 40 years with the heaviest snow moving into the Western mountains and some in New England. Rainfall -17% vs LY and least in 3 years.
The World 2-week Temperature outlook (14-27 Dec) shows Canada the cold spot with a moderating trend across the U.S. It remains generally mild across Europe and warm across China.
The World 2-week Precipitation Outlook (14-27 Dec) shows snowy conditions across Canada, the Northern U.S. with very heavy rainfall benefiting Brazil crops.
You can get this blog/video in your email inbox every Saturday (FREE) via subscription.
Have a great week ahead, and don't forget to follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, Twitter(X), YouTube, Pinterest and Linkedin.
- Captain Kirk out (USAF Gulf War Veteran 1989-1999)
It was a mixed emotion week for Team wt360 as our long-time super star employee Bruce Firth retired after 18.5 years! We'll miss him! CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW
The wt360 AI summary today is on the 25 days before Christmas which will end up being the coldest in 3 years, 11% wetter than last year and snowiest in 12 years. This has been a benefit to Winter merchandise with categories like snow throwers up +34% just due to weather, heaters +31%, while holiday outdoor decor down -3% due to the stormy weather. The East has been the bigger winner for snow categories (+42%) over the West Coast (-37%). National energy demand +12% benefiting utility companies, but a surprise cost for many businesses.
Fortunately, FLU cases are still the least in 4 years and dramatically less than the huge surge back in 2022. This has more of the population healthy which benefits holiday store traffic, but weather clearly disruptive to this point.
Season-to-date U.S. Snowfall (1 Oct - 13 Dec) is trending up +108%, the most in 6 years and 15th most in 40 years (above average). The big winners have been in the Midwest, Great Lakes and interior New England.
Season-to-date (1 Aug - 13 Dec) cold days less than 32F nationally now trending +7% vs last year, most in 3 years, but 10th least of the past 40 years.
U.S. weekly snowfall trends show this week (7-13 Dec) the snowiest of the season so far with a temporary lull next week.
Last week (7-13 Dec) across the World shows the U.S. with another cold week trending -2.6F colder than last year, coldest in 9 years and 16th coldest of the past 40 years. It was a tale of two halves - cold East, warm West. Snowfall up a whopping +239% over last year, most in 12 years and 6th most of the past 40 years, while rainfall was down -50% and least in 5 years. These are somewhat disruptive trends for store traffic and holiday shopping but continues to benefit must have Winter seasonal items. Canada was clearly the cold spot, while the U.K. and Europe very warm.
This week (14-20 Dec) before Christmas will start to show a moderating trend with the warmth in the West gradually moving East. The U.S. overall trends -3.1F colder than last year, coldest in 3 years but 15th warmest of the past 40 year. Snow finally takes a reprieve with -32% less than last year and 12th least of the past 40 years, while rainfall is -5% drier vs LY and driest in 8 years. These are improving trends to an extent, but this weekend is snowy in the Coastal Northeast with another Clipper snow event (Saturday 13th-Sunday 14th). Continued very heavy flooding rain/snow for the Pacific Northwest.
The 6-day snowfall outlook (13-18 Dec) shows 45% of the U.S. getting some snow with another Alberta Clipper sweeping from the Plains to the Middle Atlantic and Coastal Northeast. Snowfall for the period +213% over LY, most in 3 years and 20th most in 40 years.
Next week (21-27 Dec) Christmas week shows the moderating temperature trend early in the week, but another glancing shot of the Polar Vortex likely for the Northern third of the U.S. will start to push in. The U.S. overall is -0.4 colder than last year, coldest in 3 years, but 7th warmest of the past 40 years with very mild conditions across the Southern half of the Country. Snowfall up +264% vs last year, most in 3 years but 12th least in 40 years with the heaviest snow moving into the Western mountains and some in New England. Rainfall -17% vs LY and least in 3 years.
The World 2-week Temperature outlook (14-27 Dec) shows Canada the cold spot with a moderating trend across the U.S. It remains generally mild across Europe and warm across China.
The World 2-week Precipitation Outlook (14-27 Dec) shows snowy conditions across Canada, the Northern U.S. with very heavy rainfall benefiting Brazil crops.
You can get this blog/video in your email inbox every Saturday (FREE) via subscription.
Have a great week ahead, and don't forget to follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, Twitter(X), YouTube, Pinterest and Linkedin.
- Captain Kirk out (USAF Gulf War Veteran 1989-1999)