Major US winter blast shuts down schools and government offices in several states

A major winter blast of snow, ice, high winds and plunging temperatures are stirring up dangerous conditions across the U.S. central and southern states all the way to the East Coast. The disruptive winter storm brings the possibility Monday of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” to some areas. Road conditions began deteriorating Sunday in several Midwest states, with forecasts calling for harsh winter conditions to spread eastward in the coming days. Blizzard conditions have been reported in parts of Kansas and Missouri. In Indiana, the National Guard has been activated to help stranded motorists. The storm is expected to reach the Mid-Atlantic states on Monday and bitter cold temperatures could grip much of the East Coast deep into the South.