The explanation for this peculiar behavior was this: Historically, the Baltimore area had relatively mild winters. It never saw snow on a regular basis. So the city and surrounding counties never geared up for snow. People have only limited experience driving in snow, so they panic easily. Schools close out of a concern for public safety. Because the municipalities do such a mediocre job of clearing side streets — it's a tradition, actually — people expect to be stuck at home for several days. Thus the mad rush to stock up on food and toilet paper.