Preparing for the Big Winter Storm in North Texas
As the big winter storm nears, some North Texans are getting to their local stores while they can. Grocers around the region are seeing more activity as folks stock up on water, bread, and eggs — or whatever the must-haves are in their homes.
At the Kroger grocery store near Love Field in Dallas, customers were filling up the parking lot by late Wednesday morning. One of them, Linley Robinson, was stocking up on containers of water and dry goods such as peanut butter and jelly. After Kroger, she said, her next stop was Home Depot to buy a propane heater. She’d already made sure she had enough supplies for her dogs, too.
“Just making sure that I have everything I need to survive and be OK,” she said. “You don’t really need to be comfortable: you just need to be OK.”
Stocking Up Ahead of the Storm
It’s a sentiment shared by many as the region braces for a massive storm that could put North Texas into a deep freeze, upending the ability to pick up needed items from nearby shops. The intense cold front is expected to arrive Friday morning, and the storm is set to bring rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow.
Justin Thomas of Dallas shops for ramen at a Kroger on East Mockingbird Lane, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Grocery Stores Prepare for the Storm
Grocery stores have started preparing for an expected surge in demand ahead of the storm. At Kroger, the company is getting items from a distribution center in Keller to its sites, where employees are working hard to replenish and rebuild every day, said John Votava, spokesperson for the chain.
“Things are looking good, but we encourage customers not to wait until Friday,” Votava said. “Get out there and do what they need as soon as possible.”
Items that are in demand include water bottles and firewood, Votava said, adding that “you’re going to see, obviously, the staples, like eggs and milk.”
Other Grocery Stores Also Prepare
H-E-B, which has been rapidly expanding its footprint in North Texas, is also working to keep supplies stocked up at its sites. “Across our business, we regularly prepare for extreme weather events,” said Mabrie Jackson, managing director, public affairs, H-E-B/Central Market.
At Tom Thumb and Albertsons, teams have “mobilized to ensure” customers have access to the food they need ahead of the storm, said Christy Lara, spokesperson.
The grocer is watching the weather closely and working to ensure it provides associate safety while providing customer access to critical items.
Key Items to Stock Up On
Key items for stocking up include water and extra food that don’t require cooking or refrigeration, such as dried fruits, nuts, and granola bars, according to the National Weather Service. Other items include flashlights and batteries, baby needs, and first-aid supplies.
Past Experiences Inform Current Preparations
For Robinson, who was shopping at the Kroger in Dallas, the incoming storm was bringing back memories of the massive storm and catastrophic electric grid failure in 2021. One report found that nearly 70% of Texans lost power at some point during that storm and about half of Texans lost running water.
Robinson was among those who lost power and also had a pipe burst. She remembers the temperature in her home falling to well below freezing.
Looking back on the 2021 catastrophe, Robinson built a list of supplies to help her and her dogs through this incoming storm and any potential electricity outages.
“I wasn’t prepared at all last time,” she said.
The Sunday market is part of a larger effort to invigorate the Dallas fairgrounds under city management.
The retailer has more than a dozen shops locally in North Texas
