Jittery shoppers were crowding grocery and hardware stores early Thursday, stocking up on food and anything that would make it easier to clear their driveways and sidewalks.

The area's Home Depot stores have been shipping in snow shovels, snowblowers and other items from stores in New England to keep up with the demand.

Jim Emge, district manager of the Baltimore-area stores, said snowblowers are especially popular: People's backs and spirits might not able to bear yet again digging out of mounds of snow with an old-fashioned shovel.

"As soon as they come in the back door, they go right out the front door," Emge said about the demand for snowblowers.

Safeway said it ran out of shovels after the big storm in December but that it has been getting in extra shipments of other storm essentials like bread, milk and snow melt.

"People are trying to get everything they need before they get snowed in," said Safeway spokesman Craig Muckle.

Giant Food has also added truck drivers and increased shipments to its stores, something it will continue through Friday.

"We're in full mode right now," said Giant spokesman Jamie Miller.