A major winter storm slammed the southern US Tuesday, blanketing parts of the Gulf Coast with record-breaking snowfall in a region largely unaccustomed to extreme winter weather.

A rare frigid storm charged through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow, closing highways, grounding nearly all flights and canceling school for millions of students more used to hurricane dismissals than snow days.

Winter storm warnings remained in effect on Wednesday in eight states from Louisiana to Virginia. A blizzard warning was issued for the first time along parts of Louisiana's coast. Heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain was expected to continue Wednesday from Florida to North Carolina.