Super Saturday Forecast

Green Light! Retailers to Expect a Lift in Store Traffic Over Super Saturday with Drier and Milder Conditions for Most

Super Saturday is a significant shopping event as it represents the last weekend before Christmas. This year, the National Retail Federation expects a record 159 million consumers to shop for the final gifts on their holiday lists. Following a week that featured record cold temperatures in the East and measurable snow across many large population centers, most businesses in the U.S. can expect drier and milder conditions in time for Super Saturday, supporting traffic into retail stores, shopping centers, and dining destinations.

This week began with a split pattern with a warm West and frigid East; however, warmer temperatures will steadily expand from the Central U.S. to the East Coast as we head into the weekend. By Super Saturday, warmer-than-normal temperatures will prevail across most major markets. Store traffic will be lifted by dry conditions across the South, Central regions, and through most of the Eastern U.S. However, there are a couple of specific exceptions to this trend: an active storm track is set to bring heavy precipitation and strong winds to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Light rain and snow showers are expected across the Great Lakes and Northeast on Friday, although this is not expected to limit traffic, as conditions will be mostly clear for the weekend.

For the vast majority of retailers, this “dry and mild” outlook signals a green light for consumer mobility. Super Saturday and the final days are critical, as many shoppers make in-person purchases as free-shipping windows close and delivery by Christmas is no longer guaranteed. Dry and mild conditions provide a tailwind for retailers as consumers are more likely to extend their in-store shopping, visit multiple storefronts, and frequent outdoor lifestyle centers that suffered in harsh conditions just a few days earlier. Additionally, restaurants should also anticipate a weather-driven surge in traffic.