'Snowmageddon': 'Ted Cruz Index' may predict bitter winter storm for DC

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas took off on a cross-country flight Tuesday bound for the Sunshine State ahead of a bitter snowstorm expected to ravage the nation's capital.

Washington, D.C., residents are hunkering down for a bitter winter storm this weekend, clearing shelves in grocery aisles and general stores. Meanwhile, Cruz was spotted on a flight bound for Laguna Beach, California, mirroring a similar trip he took in 2021, when Texas endured a devastating winter storm and power outage.

'You need to start preparing for an intense winter storm.'

"Meteorologists use the Waffle House Index to measure disasters," one meteorologist quipped. "Texans use the Ted Cruz Index: If he's on a plane, expect crippling ice, snow or cold."

Notably, the Senate was out of session this week, and a spokesperson for Cruz maintained that he was on a "pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance."

"He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit."

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Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

With an eye on weather forecasts, DMV locals are stocking up on household essentials, prepping at levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Photos circulating on social media under the hashtag "snowmaggedon" show long lines and grocery shelves cleared of produce and non-perishables while hardware stores report snow essentials like shovels and even sleds flying off the shelves.

Ahead of the brutal forecast, dozens of states have declared a state of emergency, and officials are urging Americans to prep for the winter storm set to bring ice, sleet, snow, and sub-zero wind chills all over the Northeast and Southern Plains.

Southern states like Texas are at the highest risk of record-breaking low temperatures, but any of the affected areas may have to endure days of sub-zero temperatures if their power goes out.

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Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Stocking up on batteries, food, water, winter clothing, and blankets, as well as refueling cars, is recommended. Also make sure carbon monoxide alarms are functioning, and never run a gas generator inside a home or garage. Officials are also advising those affected to avoid traveling and to monitor any weather developments over the coming days.

"You need to start preparing for an intense winter storm right now," Matt Van Swol of North Carolina said in a post on X. "I did not [heed] the warnings of many people before Hurricane Helene and we were caught totally unprepared. Do not make the same mistakes I did. Please start preparing for extreme cold and no power for at least a few days, right now."

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