A major winter storm that slammed Texas and the northern Gulf Coast is spreading heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida panhandle and eastern Carolinas.

As heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain hit parts of the Deep South, a blast of Arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.

A winter storm sweeping across the south is now responsible for claiming several lives in a vehicle crash on an icy Texas highway. Schools are closed, snow is piling up and freezing temperatures are widespread as the storm tracks from Texas,