FEBRUARY RETAIL SALES STRONG DESPITE WEATHER.(BUSINESS)

Byline: JOYCE M. ROSENBERG - Associated Press

Consumers encouraged by the improving economy finally decided it was all right to do some shopping in February, giving the nation's largest retailers generally good sales despite the dismal winter weather.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Sears, Roebuck and Co. and J.C. Penney Co. Inc. were among the chains that announced strong February sales gains Thursday. Apparel retailers saw early signs of revival after languishing through 1993.

"Sales have been very, very strong outside those markets" where the weather hampered business, said Jeffrey Edelman, an analyst with C.J. Lawrence Inc. But even in snowbound …