WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Over 300,000 Americans have applied for federal unemployment benefits in November, the highest number of applicants since the first week of September.

All told, 313,000 Americans sought unemployment through Nov. 22, 21,000 of whom applied since Nov. 15.


Although seemingly high, the Department of Labor credits the jump in unemployment applications with regular seasonal influences such cold-weather construction layoffs and a down-tick in the entertainment industry.

Mountain states Colorado and Montana, which have faced heavy early snowfall, blamed "adverse weather conditions" with forcing otherwise unintended layoffs.