An intense blast of arctic air blanketed the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast with frigid temperatures, and a rare winter storm was expected along the Gulf Coast.

Most cities in the region do not have snow plows. Louisiana had 400,000 pounds of salt ready to spread over roads and bridges in preparation for the icy conditions.

Snow and ice may bring major travel disruptions and power outages in the South starting Monday evening, forecasters warned.

From Texas to Florida, people spent Jan. 20 preparing for historic wintry weather.

More than half the country is now under cold-weather alerts.We're talking about everything from dangerous cold to freezing rain and snow. Off