Storm warnings as snow bears down on mid-Atlantic

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hardware stores were selling out of rock salt, shovels and other winter supplies as a major storm moved up the Atlantic coast Friday, threatening a heavy coating of wet snow on the last shopping weekend before Christmas.

People also stocked up on groceries and other staples as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from the Carolinas to New Jersey. Forecasters expected up to 20 inches of snow through late Saturday in the Washington metro area and the mountains of southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia.

Forecasters said it could bring the most snow in the nation's capital since a February 2003 storm dumped nearly 27 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Up to a foot of snow was forecast in parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The storm came from the Gulf and drenched South Florida with rain starting late Thursday, leaving flooded homes and stranded drivers. Water rose knee-deep in downtown Miami and more than a foot in Hollywood, 20 miles to the north.

In southern West Virginia, Ron Hart's hardware store had sold out of many supplies after a wind storm last week knocked out electricity for days. On Friday, he was swamped again as customers bought heaters, propane, generator cords and plugs, and insulating tape.

"People are having to spend money on bare essentials versus Christmas," Hart said. "Our Christmas sales are considerably down because of what people are having to buy."

Jim Weintraub, owner of Ace Hardware in Asheville, N.C., where a foot or more of snow was expected, said he picked up 1,500 pounds of rock salt Friday morning. An hour-and-a-half later, "I'm just about out," he said.

But customers were thinking fun, too.

"I've been told we're the only store around with sleds," Weintraub said. "As I was driving back up to the store, my wife was calling me and saying, 'Where are you? People are waiting for sleds!'"

Some shoppers were trying to get their holiday buying done ahead of the snow.

"Most of them are coming in this morning to shop before they get snowed in," said Kayla Mahr at the Bath and Body shop at the River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg, Va.