Stocking up on supplies before the snow hits

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- People don't want to leave anything to chance, picking up their groceries and rock salt before the snow starts to fall on Friday.

From the time the Home Depot in South Philadelphia opened its doors on Thursday, customers were heading in and soon hauling out their winter supplies.

Ray Sima of South Philadelphia tells us, "Everybody sold out of salt. Lowes is sold out. Ain't much left in here (at Home Depot). So I don't know where everybody's going to get salt at."

Inside the Home Depot the ice melt kept getting restocked. Customers piled up the bags, grabbed a shovel, or even rolled out a snow blower.

From the time the Home Depot in South Philadelphia opened its doors, customers were heading in for winter supplies.

Business is booming at Bob Warks Liberty Gas station in Merion Station. Ahead of the storm, customers can fill up and also buy bags of salt. Workers are selling the 50 pound bags, which will cost you just under $10, as quickly as they can stack them up.

Customers say a full tank of gas and a bag or two of salt ice melt are must haves in a winter storm.

The salt selling frenzy continued at Clyde's Home Supplies in Upper Darby.

Bill Laymen of Clyde's Home Supplies tells us, "I got here at 7:00 in the morning... we've been jamming all day."

Customer here have been keeping a close look on the forecast and say no matter what Old Man Winter brings, preparation is key.

Aaron Jackson of West Philadelphia says, "I've seen a couple bad ones. So you know, I'm ready."

What would winter preparations be without stocking up on food?

A couple of days before the storm is set to hit, the Wegmans in Cherry Hill was packed with shoppers filling their carts with snowstorm food necessities. Now they are just waiting for the snow to start falling.

Amy Towers of Haddonfield says, "I am just avoiding going out tomorrow when there's going to be a lot more people. Even though there's a lot more people today, it's going to be worse tomorrow."

And in a more official capacity, PennDOT is preparing as well. The trucks were out overnight brining the roads, and they were out again Thursday so the solution is in place before the first flakes fall.