Cold Weather Will Lift Apparel-store Sales By $107 Mln Next Week: Planalytics

Weather analytics company Planalytics forecasts that a cold blast of air from Dec. 5 through Dec. 11 moving from the West Coast to the East Coast will provide a $107 million lift in apparel-store sales on a year-over-year basis. Planalytics said it believes the cold temperatures will reach major cities in the East by the weekend. "For many markets, temperatures will be below normal and below the freezing point as well," the organization wrote in a news alert. December 2015 was the warmest in more than 120 years, Planalytics said. The warm temperatures hurt sales at retailers like Macy's Inc. , which are hoping for more seasonable weather this holiday season. There's a risk of snow in Canada and across the northern U.S. as well, which "will drive demand for snow throwers, ice melt shovels, firewood and warm foods," said Planalytics.