READING, MASS. (WHDH) - Another round of winter weather late Wednesday night and Thursday morning is expected to make for a messy morning commute throughout Massachusetts.
Just a couple of days after a snowstorm coated the state in several inches of snow, another lighter coating is expected Wednesday evening. Early Thursday, the snow should change to freezing rain and rain, to make for a messy mix.
However, with the prediction of snow in the forecast, many took to the stores Wednesday to stock up on rock salt and ice melt. But, many shops were short on supplies.
Diane Spadafora, who works at Home Depot in Reading, showed 7News where the pallets of rock salt and ice melt would normally be this time of year. On Wednesday, it was all sold out.
“No ice melt,” she said.
Nancy McPheeters said she never thought she’d be looking high and low for rock salt in the middle of winter.
“It’s a little bit ridiculous,” McPheeters said.
Round’s True Value Hardware in Stoneham still had a few packages of ice melt Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s very hard to find. None of the grocery stores have it anymore. There’s no hardware stores anymore in any towns, so yeah, I have to come up to Stoneham to get rock salt,” McPheeters said.
Store employees explained the lack of salt and ice melt is due to a supply chain issue after recent years of less active winter weather. This caused suppliers to roll back product in the pipeline.
“Well, last Saturday, this whole parking lot was full, and people were coming in. We were the only ones who had it,” said Rich Jamieson.
Department of Public Works directors told 7News the shortage isn’t affecting cities, because they preorder months in advance.
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