Fed Isolates Weather From Weakness as Growth Cools: Economy

This year’s harsh winter is causing the pace of U.S. economic growth to fall along with the mercury.

February payrolls may be the next victim of the severe weather that has gripped the country during the last three months, following disappointing data on retail sales and manufacturing in January. This week’s snow and ice storms in the eastern U.S. came during the period the Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to in its monthly employer survey, which it uses to calculate changes in payrolls, hours and earnings for the jobs report scheduled for release March 7.