Gulf Coast bracing for rare winter storm with frigid temperatures and snow

More than 55 million people throughout the Gulf Coast are bracing for a historic winter storm that will bring rare snow and frigid temperatures to the region until midweek, according to national forecasts.

The storm will bring snow and ice by Monday night to Houston; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and other cities throughout the South. 

Most of the area will receive a dusting of up to 4 inches of snow, but the accumulations in parts of Texas and Louisiana could reach 6 inches, forecasts indicate.

Moderate snow is expected by Tuesday along the Interstate 10 corridor from New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle, and icy conditions should prevail in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida.

The winter storm could be crippling to the Gulf Coast, where most cities do not have snow plows, national forecasters said.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said it had accumulated 400,000 pounds of salt that it could spread over roads and bridges if needed for the snow and ice, and officials were mapping out a plan for possible road closures.

Both airports in Houston were set to close early Tuesday, and city officials were asking residents to limit their outside activities.

Freezing rain threatens to stretch north into coastal Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, forecasters said.

Later in the week, snow off the Atlantic Coast and heavy rain will affect the Florida Peninsula.

Cold alerts were in effect Monday for 214 million people stretching from the Rocky Mountains to southern Texas and central Florida, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 degrees below average, according to forecasters.

Several areas in the South and along the Gulf Coast will experience below-freezing temperatures for more than 24 hours, which could cause infrastructure issues, such as widespread pipe bursts, officials said.

Wind chills will cause temperatures to feel like minus 55 degrees in some parts of the Rockies, the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest.

Below-zero wind chills will affect the Northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lastly, possible cold records could be set in Missouri, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.