[muawiyah]

Housing "starts", where they were financially possible, were definitely dealt a set-back by incredible rainfall. Where they were not financially possible, they didn't happen.

This was NOT unexpected.

They still haven't got all the corn in the Corn Belt harvested ~ it's standing there in the fields waiting on a good freeze to "dry things out".

[babble-on]

I agree with you. I think weather played a big role in these numbers. They seasonally adjust them, but October was far wetter than normal, nationally.