A large-scale winter storm will affect large regions of the United States, and much of the panicking has already led to food and supply shortages at grocery stores.

Nearly half of the U.S. population is already under emergency watch, warnings, and alerts from Winter Storm Fern, according to the National Weather Service.

'This is a damaging ice event. We have been lucky for a long time, but the data is showing a setup that demands respect and preparation.'

One meteorologist for WCNC-TV in North Carolina issued a dire warning on social media.

"Folks, I cannot stress this enough: Please prepare now!" said Brad Panovich. "We have all day today (Friday) and most of the daylight hours on Saturday to get ready. After that, the window closes. This is not a 'bread and milk' situation — this is a major to extreme ice threat. We are looking at a setup we haven't seen in at least 10 years, and if the higher ice totals hold, we could be looking at something we haven't dealt with in 20 years (think back to the 2002 ice storm)."

He said that people should be prepared to be without electricity for hours and perhaps days. Travel will be dangerous beginning Saturday evening, and families should be "hyper-aware" about tree limbs that may snap above their homes.

Families across the country are responding by stocking up on supplies and clearing out their local grocery stores. Many are comparing it to the panic from the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

"Tennessee is really tripping over the snowstorm. There is nothing in stores," wrote one witness on Facebook.

"If you're from Oklahoma you know there's probably not any bread or milk left," another shopper said on a social media post.

The administration has issued warnings about the storm.

"We are anticipating a major winter weather event expected to impact much of the U.S. population this weekend, especially the Midwest and East Coast," said Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem Wednesday. "DHS is working with state and local authorities, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to monitor and prepare for this likely adverse weather."

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Others took the opportunity to make jokes about the storm on social media.

"Night crew here," reads a post from the Greensboro Police Dept. "Please remember that whoever you hang out with on Saturday, you're stuck with until at least Tuesday when the ice melts. You’re either going to be besties or not. Choice is yours."

"Big storm on the way. Reminder: I don't run City Hall anymore. Yelling at me on Twitter will not speed up snow removal," former NYC Mayor Eric Adams wrote.

Some even blamed the lack of an accurate forecast on President Donald Trump.

"The Bottom Line: This isn't a 'fun snow day.' This is a damaging ice event," Panovich continued.

"We have been lucky for a long time, but the data is showing a setup that demands respect and preparation," he added. "Use today and tomorrow to prepare your family and check on your elderly neighbors, then stay off the roads once this starts."

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