At least 15 US states and Washington, DC, have declared states of emergency as some 150 million people brace for a major winter storm forecast to sweep across much of the continental United States this weekend.
The potentially historic storm has been expected to affect a vast area from the Southwest through to the Northeast, with impacts beginning on Saturday.
Heavy snow was already falling over Northwest Texas and Oklahoma City on Friday morning.
Emergency declarations have so far been issued in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the nation’s capital.
"Between snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain and bitterly cold temperatures, this storm is expected to cause major disruptions to your daily life, possibly for days. Our message to North Carolina is simple - this is a serious storm. We are taking it seriously and so should you," North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said.
The National Weather Service has warned that heavy snowfall will stretch from Oklahoma in the Midwest through to southern Maine in the Northeast, while "widespread freezing rain and sleet" are expected across much of the South and Southeast.
"The storm will cause significant to locally catastrophic ice accumulations with the potential for long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely dangerous or impassable travel conditions," the agency said on social media.
In Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser has warned residents that the capital is facing its largest winter storm in a decade.
Her emergency declaration is set to take effect at noon on Saturday and remain in place through Tuesday.
Forecasts indicate that at least 23 centimetres of snow could fall in Washington, DC, with some models predicting accumulations exceeding 30 centimetres.
Snow is expected to begin on Saturday evening and continue through Sunday as temperatures plunge.
Shelves run empty
Frantic shoppers across parts of the United States have been clearing grocery store shelves as an Arctic blast and major snowstorm approach, prompting widespread concern over supply shortages and dangerous cold.
"We are not really prepared, a lot of people are not. The storm starts in two days. So we are just sort of rushing to get ready. I know personally I need water. I have two cats and I'm concerned about them. Concerned about it getting too cold for them, but also running out of water or food," says Joshua Piercy from Hickory, North Carolina.
Grocery stores in several states have been quickly running out of essentials as customers rush to stock up ahead of the extreme weather, which forecasters say could send temperatures well below zero and dump up to 1 to 2 feet of snow in parts of the eastern US.
Videos shared on social media show empty shelves in stores across Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia, particularly where toilet paper, bottled water, bread and milk are usually stocked.
Fewer such videos have emerged from the Northeast, despite forecasts warning that some areas there could be buried under nearly a foot of snow over the weekend.
The storm is disrupting US air travel, prompting airlines to cancel flights, warn of delays and issue travel waivers as ice, snow and strong winds sweep across major hubs and regional airports in the South, East and central part of US.
