Snow gear sales rises as storm draws near
Blustery snow showers may be bothersome for most, but the cold weather is helping local stores turn a profit. Sales associates at several stores in the Uniontown area – Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart – said weather-related items sell quickly whenever snow begins to fall and pile up on sidewalks, driveways and vehicles.
Shovels, ice melts and ice scrapers are sure to be in demand the next few days, as a snowstorm moves through southwestern Pennsylvania today, dumping several inches of snow on the region.
“I hope we get some snow,” said Trent Swaney, a manager at Home Depot. “I’d like to sell some snow blowers.”
Swaney said snow blowers are the only weather-related item that haven’t been selling, guessing that it’s probably because the area hasn’t received enough accumulation at any one time.
Home Depot has been selling a lot of heaters though, thanks to the recent near zero temperatures.
“I don’t have a heater or fireplace in the store,” Swaney said.
However, Home Depot does have, according to Swaney, plenty of snow shovels and a variety of ice melts and salt in stock and on the shelves.
Other local stores, according to their respective sales associates, had plenty of snow removal items in stock as well.
“We have a ton of shovels, ice melts and all that kind of fun stuff,” said a sales floor associate at Target.
According to the associate, “a ton” of people have recently been in to purchase the items.
And, with meteorologists predicting another several inches of accumulation, stores can expect to see even more people in need of shovels and salt stomping through the aisles in snow boots.
Pat Herald, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said people living in Fayette County and the surrounding area, including parts of Greene and Washington counties, can expect steady snow showers throughout the day today.
About 6 inches of snow accumulation is expected for most of the region, Herald said, with higher elevations possibly receiving a few more inches.
A winter storm warning is in effect for the region beginning 5 a.m. today through 6 p.m. Wednesday.
A winter storm warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice are expected. Travel conditions may become hazardous and power outages are possible if ice accumulates on power lines.
Herald said the snow may turn to sleet and/or freezing rain later this evening, with a 1/4 inch of ice accumulation possible.
Temperatures will drop Wednesday and the region will experience scattered snow showers, Herald said, with little accumulation likely.
Susan Kozak-Griffith, public information officer for the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency, said the county is advising residents to take extra safety precautions today and Wednesday, especially while driving and shoveling snow.
Griffith said people should be prepared for a power outage and should have water, food and battery-powered radio on hand.
Motorists who have questions regarding road conditions can call the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) 24-hour, toll-free interstate road condition hotline at 1-888-783-6783.