New snowstorm forms as record-cold peaks and spreads

A powerful Arctic blast is gripping the U.S. Some areas are seeing temperatures as much as 50 degrees below normal.

(CNN)- A powerful Arctic blast is gripping the U.S. Some areas are seeing temperatures as much as 50 degrees below normal. The cold snap spans from north Dakota to south Texas and is spreading east today. Officials urge caution. “If you must be outside, cover any exposed skin,” said Rob Larkin, Director of Lexington Emergency Management. “Single-digit temperatures can be deadly.”

Winter storms continue to wreak havoc. A new blizzard warning is in effect for northern Montana, and the Arctic cold is intensifying a storm that brought snow to Mississippi yesterday. Drivers in the South are struggling with worsening road conditions. “Some of the bridges are a little iffy,” said Maggie McVey, who drove through the Mississippi storm.

The storm is now pushing through the Mid-Atlantic, offering relief to areas that faced flooding over the weekend. In North Carolina, where hurricane recovery efforts are ongoing, officials say the snow is complicating cleanup. “Work will be ongoing even as the storm hits,” said Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins.