A powerful winter storm that dumped heavy snow and glazed roads with ice across much of Texas and Oklahoma lumbered eastward into Southern US states Friday, making for dicey travel and a rare snow day for many students.

Many public and private schools throughout North Alabama and southern Tennessee are closing Friday due to the threat of winter weather.

Weather forecasters say a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow will enter West Alabama shortly after midnight Thursday.

A winter storm that dropped heavy snow and glazed roads throughout the U.S. South is maintaining its icy grip on much of the region into the weekend

The storm piled up more than a year's worth of snowfall on some Southern cities. As much as a foot (about 31 centimeters) fell in parts of Arkansas. There were reports of nearly 10 inches (about 25 centimeters) in Little Rock,

A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and icy conditions to parts of the U.S. South on Thursday, forcing officials to close schools, cancel flights and warn residents in some of the worst-hit areas to stay off roads as it lumbered eastward through Oklahoma and Texas.