Still, weather intelligence firm Planalytics reminds that the arrival of high energy bills from a hot July and the uncertain economy will be drags on back-to-school shopping this year. The hot Summer across much of the U.S., with the exception of the Southwest Coast and Pacific Northwest, has suppressed early Back-To-School shopping in much of the country but improved sellthroughs of clearance seasonal items such as shorts and flip flops.

With the month one-third complete, August overall is forecast to be cooler than it was last year. There will be slightly below normal temperatures in the East and warmer than 2010 ... Log in to view full article.