Yet, allowing for £800m of seasonal swings in working capital, the company has around £900m of average net debts.

Although the figures are adjusted for such seasonal swings, the process seems to have failed to keep up with the trend toward earlier school closings.

Precipitation varies little from month to month, though, with seasonal swings falling into the lower third.

At only 14% of all places are seasonal swings in precipitation less marked.

Only at 0% of the weather stations are lower seasonal swings recorded.

At 39% of the weather stations, lower seasonal swings are recorded.

Only at 25% of the weather stations are higher seasonal swings recorded.

As a result, he said, the site is buffered from the major seasonal swings that might otherwise beset the gift business.

The regularity of the lines indicated possible seasonal swings in food supplies.

At fewer than 1% of the weather stations are even lower seasonal swings recorded.