Shoe retailers hope for the best during Super El Niño, and where they are located is key.

This year’s expected Super El Niño could delay winter boot purchases as warmer temperatures take hold, or usher in an early rain boot buying season due to increased storms and flooding.

Retailers already have placed their usual orders, and while some may increase orders for rain boots, others may elect to stay cautious even with predictions of a volatile El Niño season this fall and winter.

Rick Ravel, president of Karavel Shoes and Karavel Run in Austin, Tex., said his company began tracking weather last November for this fall, finding that traditional El Niño would show colder and rainier [weather] in the south and drier in the north, starting in November. “We went to the Atlanta February Market and added Merry People out of Australia for rain boots, which are due this month. This is the first time we have added rain boots in over 30 years,” he said.

He said for the season, his company is up 36 percent in women’s boots after deciding to increase inventory since “we were so conservative based on last year’s sales.”

Ravel also spoke of a “real surprise” in the trail categories. ” We bought more of the waterproof styles and it seems to be paying off.

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