If the recent data from the US Commerce Department are anyindication, warmer weather does put people in a better mood—or, Ishould say, a spending mood.

Retailers typically expect sales levels to be low during thefirst few months of the year as consumers remain in their homes andout of the cold weather. But this February, the Commerce Departmentfound that consumer spending grew at its highest level in sevenmonths, by $86 billion—an 80-basis-point uptick over January.That’s certainly good news for the economy, since consumer spendingaccounts for more than two-thirds of GDP.

Job growth is one factor. Companies added between 240,500 and242,400 jobs for three months in a row leading up to February,according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, putting money intomore people’s pockets. That’s the longest stretch on positivehiring in two years, and brought the unemployment rate to itslowest level in three years, 8.3%.