Gulf Coast prepares for an unusual winter storm bringing cold temperatures and snow

By Monday night, the storm would have brought snow and ice to Houston, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and other southern cities.

Both of Houston's major airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport, have announced that flight operations would be suspended beginning Tuesday at midnight.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry cautioned residents on Monday to stay at home and keep their pipes from freezing.

“It is extremely important to stay off the road,” he said at a news conference. "Unless you absolutely need to be on the road, stay at home and stay warm."

The storm, along with chilly air, will bring snow, freezing rain, slick roads, and other substantial travel delays from late Monday to Wednesday early in Southern cities from Texas to South Carolina, where strong winter weather is uncommon.

Governors in Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi have proclaimed states of emergency, while Texas officials have urged state agencies to deploy resources in response to the danger of snow.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport, is prepping highways and airfield surfaces for winter weather, according to spokesperson Andrew Gobeil.

“The Emergency Operations Center will activate at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning and will remain operational throughout the event,” Gobeil said Monday. “Passengers are urged to arrive in the airport at least two and a half hours prior to domestic departure times unless otherwise directed by their airlines.”

Snow is forecast to fall throughout the Interstate 10 and Interstate 20 corridors, leading traffic officials to caution commuters about the prospect of road closures in the coming days, particularly in places where many drivers are unfamiliar with driving in snow.

Schools are closed in numerous states, including Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. The Houston Independent School District, the state's largest and the ninth largest in the nation, will likewise be closed until Wednesday, according to Whitmire.

Atlanta Public classrooms, which serves around 50,000 kids, has announced that its classrooms and district offices would be closed Tuesday.

Cold advisories were issued Monday for 220 million people spanning from the Rocky Mountains to southern Texas and central Florida, with temperatures 20 to 40 degrees below average, forecasters said.

Several places in the South and along the Gulf Coast may suffer below-freezing temperatures for more than 24 hours, potentially causing infrastructure difficulties such as widespread pipe breaks, experts said.

Wind chills will make temperatures seem like - 55 degrees in sections of the Rockies, Northern Plains, and Upper Midwest.

Several northern US cities, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, and Philadelphia, might go days without experiencing a high temperature over freezing.

Pensacola, Florida, may get its first measurable snow since 2014, with a combination of snow, sleet, and freezing rain on the way. If measurable snow falls anywhere in Florida, as projected, it will be the first winter since 2010 in which all 50 states have received measurable snow.

Freezing showers will make travel more dangerous. It is feasible over much of northern Florida, as well as sections of southern Georgia and South Carolina. Any quantity of ice is harmful, especially in a place unaccustomed to it.

Wind chills will be below zero in the Northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Finally, chilly records may be established in Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama.