Time To Buy A Shovel

I never understood why every year before the first big winter storm people go running out to buy shovel for the upcoming storm. Some stores even report that they are sold out. Everybody needs a shovel if they live in this area, so are all these people new to the Northeast and don't have a shovel from last year? If they aren't new to the area, then how come they are waiting until January to buy a new shovel? Did they lose their shovel? Are they just clueless?

And why is the top story right before a storm always about people going out and buying shovels and salt? I can understand that the actual weather should be the top story, but why the salt and shovel purchases. It happens every year so is it really news. I just don't get it.