Weather forecasters and public bodies issued health and power loss warnings Tuesday as a “rare winter storm" gripped part of the southern and eastern U.S.

Snow was falling in New Orleans, where as much as 8 inches were expected to accumulate by the end of the day, threatening to tie a record set in 1895.

At least two people are reported dead in Houston as a winter storm system disrupted much of the Gulf Coast and other parts of the nation on Tuesday, causing billions in economic losses.

Snow and sleet started falling in Texas as officials begin to close schools and airports. Snow and ice could bring major travel disruptions and power outages from Texas to Florida.

A rare frigid storm is charging through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow, closing highways and grounding nearly all flights.

A winter storm was on a track to sweep through Texas and Louisiana, across the Gulf Coast and deep into Florida, significant snow and ice in tow.

More than 170 million people across the United States, from the Mexican border to the Canadian border are under cold weather alerts ahead of a crippling winter storm expected to sweep through the south from Texas to Georgia,

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Temperatures could dip to record lows along the Gulf Coast and into the Tennessee Valley, the National Weather Service warned.

At least 10 people have died. Officials warned that arctic cold will persist for another day, and roads could remain dangerous. Still, many Southerners found joy in the rare experience.

Another massive winter storm is forecast to pummel the southern and eastern U.S., with impacts from Texas to the Carolinas.