In a flurry of last-minute shopping, anxious New Yorkers descended upon Whole Foods on Saturday, braving the biting cold as a significant snowstorm loomed, threatening to blanket the city with up to 18 inches of snow.
Winter Storm Fern is expected to deliver over a foot of snow to New York City over the weekend, prompting residents to flock to grocery stores in preparation for the extreme weather.
A visit to the Whole Foods Market located on 28th Street and Madison Avenue revealed bare shelves, with essentials like water, crackers, and canned goods quickly disappearing as shoppers hurried to stock up.
“It’s my first snowstorm here in New York City, so I’m kind of scared,” admitted 21-year-old Tommy Andrades.
According to Andrades, shoppers were in a frenzy, scrambling to gather their supplies before the storm hit.
Originally from Colombia, Andrades described the icy conditions, noting temperatures that hovered around a chilly 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
‘The wind is something that kind of explodes in my face, and that’s inside of my bones,’ he told the Daily Mail.
He said: ‘It’s something that, honestly, is kind of hard to explain but you can feel the moment that you’re out.’
The Whole Foods Market on 28th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan as New Yorkers rushed to buy last minute groceries ahead of Winter Storm Fern
Canned goods were rushing off the shelves, with the storm bringing up to 18 inches of snow over the weekend
Andrades said his family told him to buy chicken, meat and canned beans.
‘Everything,’ he explained. ‘In case the storm is bad and you can’t even get out.’
The Big Apple, which has been placed under a winter storm warning, could see up to 18 inches of snow, forecasters have predicted per CBS News.
However the National Weather Service has given more modest predictions that Manhattan is at a 94 percent chance of getting six inches of snow and at a 48 percent chance of getting up to 12 inches.
Alex Amine, 25, lives across the street from the Whole Foods.
He initially brushed off concerns about the weather – until today.
‘I was kind of underplaying it, but my mom called and she said I gotta come to Whole Foods and get ready for it,’ he told the Daily Mail.
He said his mom feared the grocer would already be sold out, but ‘it’s better than I thought it was.’
Amine was buying meat, cheese and eggs. He was still searching for more groceries on the packed second floor.
‘And then I got pistachios, he added. ‘Trying to be healthier.’
New York has been placed under a winter storm warning. More than 20 other states have also issued disaster or emergency declarations
New Yorkers and millions of Americans have been advised to take precautions and avoid travel this weekend
In New York, JFK Airport has a 90 percent chance of getting six inches and a 60 percent chance of getting one foot of snow.
LaGuardia Airport has a 92 percent chance of 12 inches.
Abby Laufer, 70, told the Daily Mail that she was ‘very relaxed’ about the incoming storm.
However, she could not say the same for everyone back home.
‘I happen to be having houseguests this Sunday who are supposed to leave on an airplane on Monday, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere,’ Laufer said.
‘So I said, I’d better go buy some food in case I’m cooking for them,’ she added.
Ahead of the snow, Laufer said she had never seen this Whole Foods location so crowded.
‘I would rather go to Trader Joe’s, but they’re gonna be crazy today,’ she quipped.
However, Laufer said she would also be making full use of the downtime afforded by the inclement weather.
‘I have chicken, and I’m going to make coq au vin,’ she said. ‘I’m taking advantage. I don’t cook that much, but it’s nice to cook.’
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the entire state on Friday, with the storm set to arrive over the weekend
Alex Amine, 25, (right) told Daily Mail reporter Wilko Martinez-cachero that his mother was the one who rushed him to Whole Foods ahead of the snowstorm
A few minutes from the Whole Foods on 32nd Street and Broadway, other New Yorkers shunned the icy weather for a cold treat.
Locals filed into Chinese fast food chain Mixue, which offers tea and ice cream.
Jessica Sun, 19, told the Daily Mail she had never felt so cold in her life.
‘It’s good,’ she said about the food. ‘It’s pretty nice.’
Julia Placides, from the Philippines, told the Daily Mail that she was experiencing the historic cold in only her second visit to New York.
‘I thought I was ready for it,’ she said. ‘I thought I was bundled up enough. I wasn’t.’
Her friend said the two still planned to spend the entire day outside despite the bitter cold.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever been this cold, but we still got our ice cream, so it’s still kind of manageable,’ Isa Flojo, of Jersey City, said.
Millions of Americans have been advised to take precautions and avoid traveling this weekend as meteorologists predict heavy snow and frigid temperatures.
More than 20 states have issued disaster or emergency declarations ahead of Fern.
The potentially historic winter storm could crush trees and power lines, knocking out power for days and making moving around very difficult
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the entire state on Friday.
As of Saturday morning, snow had already started falling in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Minnesota.
Nearly 3,700 flights had been canceled around the country, with nearly double on Sunday at around 6,300.
The storm is expected to move into the Northeast by Sunday, where it will bring frigid temperatures and dangerous travel conditions.
Forecasters have warned that the cold deluge could crush trees and power lines. Power and heat could be knocked out for days.
Major metropolitan hubs including New York City could potentially get enough snow to make travel extremely difficult or borderline impossible.
