Winter storm plods into the Deep South, prompting states of emergency and school closures

Another blast of winter storms is closing schools, snarling flights and putting millions of residents on alert across parts of the Deep South and south-central U.S. The National Weather Service says heavy snowfall and icy conditions are likely Friday in Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Schools have been closed in many places expecting nasty weather as far east as South Carolina. The storm started dumping a mix of sleet and heavy snow Thursday in north Texas and Oklahoma, where schools canceled classes for more than 1 million students. Closures also kept students home in Kansas City and Arkansas.