Memorial Day holiday weekend represented some extremely stark temperature contrasts to last year. Nationally, last year was the warmest Memorial Day in over 50 years, while 2013 was the coolest since 2005, and the weekend as a whole was the coolest in more than 10 years, according to Planalytics.
Many major markets in the East and Midwest experienced temperature swings of -20°F to -30°F compared to last year. Baltimore had its coolest Memorial Day since 1996. Chicago was coolest since 2000, and New York City since 2004. This year-over-year difference negatively impacted demand for seasonal apparel, food and beverages. It was also the wettest holiday weekend in for years, although the bulk of the rainfall was early in the weekend.
Despite the cool holiday weekend, there is some welcome weather on the horizon for those looking for summer-like warmth, says Planalytics forecasters. A rapid warm-up for the Midwest and Northeast will occur this week and weekend, bringing daily temperatures into the 90s for several major markets. For many, this will represent their first heat wave of the season.
“While the week may trend cooler than last year, the warmer than normal temperatures combined with week-over-week warmth will provide ideal conditions to spur demand for cooling products as well as seasonal apparel, and cold beverages,” says the weather forecasting firm.
Unfortunately, the volatile temperatures will also bring the threat for another round of severe weather, particularly in the Plains and Midwest. On the heels of recent tornado outbreaks, businesses should continue to be prepared for significant weather events, as well as the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which officially begins on June 1.
