As Winter Storm Fern approached in late January 2026, U.S. consumers began preparing in earnest — and retail foot traffic data from location analytics firm Placer.ai reveals a distinct surge in visits to stores two days ahead of the storm’s worst conditions.
Pre‑Storm Retail Behavior: A Compressed Shopping Window
Placer.ai’s data shows that as the storm neared U.S. regions most likely to experience severe weather, visit volumes to retail locations escalated sharply, particularly between January 22 and January 23. During that brief window:
- Home improvement and furnishings stores saw the largest spikes, with visits rising from about 20.2 % above average on Jan. 22 to 41.7 % above average by Jan. 23, suggesting consumers were stocking up on heating supplies, weatherproofing materials and snow‑preparation goods.
- Grocery stores also experienced strong increases — from roughly 14.2 % above average to 28.4 % — as shoppers stocked up on food and essentials ahead of the storm.
- Other categories such as discount & dollar stores, drugstores/pharmacies, superstores and pet services displayed notable foot traffic acceleration as well, indicating widespread preparation behavior across segments.
This pattern underscores how storm‑driven demand is highly compressed in time: visits surged significantly only when the perceived threat of severe weather became immediate, then tapered once households completed their essential errands.
Retail Impacts Reflect Localized Urgency, Not Just National Severity
Placer.ai’s analysis further indicates that storm proximity and localized severity — rather than the aggregate size of the storm — played a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior.
As Fern advanced from the Southwest across the South and toward the Eastern Seaboard, spikes in retail visits clustered in frontline regions where conditions were about to deteriorate, showing that consumers tend to react in the narrow window before extreme weather hits their area.
Impacts on Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas
While national foot traffic data shows a broad trend, local impacts in Bentonville and surrounding Northwest Arkansas were shaped by the storm itself. Winter Storm Fern brought heavy snow and ice conditions across much of Arkansas beginning around January 24‑25, making travel difficult and prompting many residents to adjust plans.
In Bentonville and nearby communities, this translated into a compressed run on essential goods at major retailers — including grocery stores, hardware/home improvement outlets, dollar and discount retailers, and large supercenters — in the days leading up to peak storm conditions.
Such behavior mirrors the national pattern Placer.ai documented, as people stocked up on food, heating supplies and other essentials in anticipation of hazardous road conditions and potential power outages once the storm hit.
What This Means for Retailers
For national and local retailers alike, the Fern case underscores that severe weather can create short, intense bursts of foot traffic that place a premium on inventory readiness, staffing agility and supply‑chain coordination. Understanding when and where consumers are most likely to shop ahead of disruptive events — as Placer.ai’s data reveals — can help retailers better prepare for demand spikes while also contributing to community resilience in storms and other emergencies.
More about weather impacts on retail:
Dan Craft
Staff Report
