A rare Southern storm that smashed snow records from New Orleans to Pensacola was rolling out to sea Wednesday after encasing in ice and snow a region not targeted by such a severe wintry assault in generations − and leaving death and disruption in its wake.

A historic Gulf Coast winter storm brings blizzard conditions, power outages and travel chaos to a region unprepared for snow and ice.

Snow began early on Jan. 21 in Louisiana and Texas as a severe winter storm is expected to bury parts of the Deep South with snow.