Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is activating the National Guard to deal with a major winter storm

A powerful winter storm is bearing down across the United States, as government officials warn that snow and ice pose a threat to millions of Americans.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark., declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. He said that the road workers had closed 90% of the state roads before the incoming storm.

“We continue to encourage every Arkansan to stay off the streets and take this storm seriously,” Sanders said Saturday on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

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“Mother Nature is not something you can control, so we have to be very aware of our surroundings and what’s coming,” he added later.

A state of emergency has been declared in at least 18 states, including New York, Kentucky, Georgia and Texas. The 2,300 kilometer long storm is expected to bring snow, sleet and snow.

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More than 190 million people are under some form of winter weather warning, marking the highest number of US states ever under a Winter Storm Warning, FOX Weather reports.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attends an event on natural disaster preparedness with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, June 10, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“We hope people can enjoy the fun parts of the snow, but we also ask them to be really careful as they go out and not take unnecessary risks,” Sanders added as the first signs of the storm began to hit his state.

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National Weather Service Director Ken Graham described the storm as reaching an “incredible distance” and told Americans to prepare on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

He warned that snow may be one of the most dangerous factors in this storm and said, “It is a catastrophic situation in some areas.”

Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, speaks at a press conference on Hurricane Ian at FEMA headquarters in Washington, DC, September 28, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Suddenly, snow and ice caused power outages in parts of the country. Graham said that even with strong power grids, damage to local power lines and falling trees can leave some areas without power for days.

He warned people to use generators properly, saying “people lose their lives” if they are used improperly. Graham’s advice to Americans was to prepare now by stocking up on food, having safe secondary heat sources and checking on elderly neighbors.

A Nashville Department of Transportation truck uses salt water on a road in Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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President Donald Trump said the federal government is ready to respond to the storm, as thousands of flights have been canceled.

Alongside the warning from the National Weather Service, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I have been briefed on the Record Cold Wave and Historic Winter Storm that will hit much of the United States this weekend. The Trump administration is working with State and local officials. FEMA is fully prepared to respond. Stay Safe and Stay Warm! President DJT.”

Mike Rawlins of FOX Weather contributed to this report.