Seven US states declare emergencies as millions hit by brutal winter storm

An arctic blast is battering the southern US as a brutal winter storm blows from the Ohio River Valley to the mid-Atlantic on Sunday overnight into Monday.

The storm has disrupted travel, bringing heavy snow, ice and wind to the eastern two-thirds of the US, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Hundreds of flights have been canceled across airports in the Midwest, and officials in several states are pleading with residents to keep off the roads unless there’s an emergency. Widespread power outages are likely.

“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade,” the NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center said in a statement.

Meanwhile, arctic air is blowing into the southern US, bringing single-digit “feels like” temperatures to much of Texas and causing officials to issue a freeze watch in Florida.

Severe thunderstorms are also barreling through the Mid-South, prompting tornado watches in areas of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas Sunday afternoon.

Many states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia, issued states of emergency ahead of the storm. Washington, D.C. is also under a snow emergency alert as of Sunday afternoon.

“This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages – just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a statement.

News.Az