Photos: From Texas to Florida, a rare winter storm brings historic snowfall

A rare winter storm is gripping the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Heavy snow, sleet and ice are making travel conditions treacherous across the region, stretching from Houston into the Florida panhandle.
Governors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida have all declared states of emergency as the snow starts to pile up in places that rarely see it.
A thick coat is blanketing New Orleans’ French Quarter, and blizzard warnings were up in Lake Charles and Lafayette, Louisiana. That state has closed bridges and major sections of Interstate 10.
Officials across the Gulf South are urging people to shelter in place, and be ready for possible power and water outages.
With icy airport runways and limited visibility, thousands of flights have been cancelled. Schools and colleges are closed.
Forecasters predict historic snowfall amounts for much of the region.
We take a look.










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