Schools and cities from Texas to Georgia are shutting down in anticipation of freezing rain and snow forecast for much of the Southern U.S. The severe weather is expected across a stretch from New Mexico to Alabama starting Wednesday night and early Thursday.

Schools as far south as El Paso, Texas, closed due to a polar vortex that has brought historically low temperatures and snowfall to parts of the U.S.

A developing winter storm is threatening to drop snow, sleet and freezing rain on parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas

A winter storm watch will be posted for parts of southeastern Oklahoma beginning Thursday afternoon and ending early Friday morning. Additional watches are also posted for a large area of the north TX region,

Storm Cora will bring a mess of snow, ice and sleet to the Carolinas by Friday night, including Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina.The Midlands and Piedmont will be a battle zone for precipitation types and it could change minute-by-minute as the storm rolls through.

A winter storm is expected to make its way toward central North Carolina this weekend, with a dusting of light snow expected to begin late Friday, the National Weather Service said Thursday morning. Why it matters: The storm could bring hazardous road conditions through Saturday,

A low-pressure system is moving across the country, delivering rain, snow, and ice to much of the southeast. This same system will be making its way along the east coast early this weekend, bringing a chance for accumulating snow to the tri-state.

A winter storm is moving across the southeastern portion of the U.S., bringing snow, sleet and other cold-weather conditions to a part of the nation not accustomed to coping with blustery temperatures.