A state-by-state look at frigid blast

A big chunk of the U.S. is getting a blast of frigid temperatures, sleet, snow and ice. Several deaths have been reported, most resulting from treacherous driving conditions. More than a thousand flights have been canceled, football and basketball games postponed and holiday celebrations including town tree lightings and parades curtailed. Here is a state-by-state look at the wintry weather:

ARIZONA

A storm rolling in over the weekend will keep the northern part of the state in the grips of freezing temperatures, bringing more snow and making travel tricky.

Phoenix residents could see a dusting of snow in the surrounding mountains. Several inches of snow could fall in the higher terrain.

ARKANSAS

Freezing rain, sleet and snow brought most of Arkansas to a near standstill Friday, and Gov. Mike Beebe declared a statewide emergency.

As many as 35,000 homes and businesses were without power and utilities warned customers that the outages could last for up to a week. There were cancellations from the Arkansas State Capitol holiday lighting ceremony to U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky not making a scheduled appearance in Hot Springs.

COLORADO

Colorado residents braced for another round of snow this weekend as blistering cold temperatures continue across the state.

The weather service issued a winter storm watch through Sunday for the Western Slope. Forecasters say up to a foot more of snow is expected in the mountains. Temperatures were as low as 26 degrees below zero in Walden.

DAKOTAS

The National Weather Service posted advisories for the two states saying wind chills could make the temperature feel as low as 40 degrees below zero into the weekend.

ILLINOIS

Snow blanketed parts of southern Illinois early Friday with forecasters warning of more than a foot by the time a winter storm warning expires in the evening. Classes were canceled at dozens of schools, including the 18,000-student Carbondale campus of Southern Illinois University.

Jackson County in southern Illinois declared a state of emergency.

INDIANA

Schools and businesses were closed Friday and roads were treacherous after a storm dropped several inches of snow throughout central Indiana. Two people were killed in crashes blamed on the storm.

The roads proved even too hazardous for a Department of Transportation plow truck that flipped onto its side on Indiana 45. Weather service meteorologist Chad Swain said up to 5 inches more of snow could fall later Friday in the southern half of the state.

KENTUCKY

Kentucky residents said goodbye to temperatures in the 70s as sleet, snow and plummeting temperatures moved into the state Friday.

The western and central parts of the state were under winter storm warnings, and a flood watch was in effect into Saturday morning.

Multiple school districts canceled classes and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association rescheduled championship football games.

MICHIGAN

Cold temperatures and snow were expected in Michigan into next week. The lowest readings Friday morning were in the Upper Peninsula, including zero degrees in Ironwood.

Forecasters said lake-effect snow was possible in the Upper Peninsula and parts of western Michigan. Snow and freezing rain could make travel difficult. Gale warnings were in effect Friday for Lake Superior, with waves expected to be 18 feet to as high as 27 feet.

MISSOURI

The mayor of small-town Granby died in a wreck when his truck ran off an icy state highway and struck a tree in southwestern Missouri.

Most of the southern part of the state was under winter weather warnings, with up to 8 inches of snow possible by Friday evening. The state also was seeing severe temperature fluctuations. St. Louis reached 69 degrees Wednesday; afternoon temperatures Thursday were 40 degrees colder.

NEVADA

In southern Nevada, the National Weather Service says tourists could see snow flurries amid rain showers Saturday on the Las Vegas Strip. But measurable snow isn’t expected near casino marquees.

Temperatures plunged to 19 degrees below zero in northeast Nevada early Friday in Ely near the Utah state line.

NEW JERSEY

Forecasters warned that New Jersey drivers could face slippery conditions over the weekend as a wintry mix of snow and sleet moved into the state beginning Sunday.

NEW MEXICO

Crews in New Mexico worked to clear snowy, icy roads, while some schools and government agencies closed Friday, a day after a storm dumped 6 inches of snow.

The storm also critically injured a sheriff’s sergeant who was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic on Interstate 25 near the San Felipe Pueblo.

OHIO

Ohio saw rain on Friday after a mix of freezing rain and sleet overnight. But residents braced for another wave of wintry weather, with forecasters saying central and southwest Ohio could get 5 to 9 inches of snow by midnight Friday.

OKLAHOMA

Officials said at least two deaths were caused by the storm that has made traveling dangerous due to a coating of snow and sleet. A 5-year-old boy from Fort Gibson was killed Thursday in a vehicle crash, and Oklahoma City police reported that an unidentified man was discovered dead under an overpass.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma State officials say crews are clearing snow and ice from inside Boone Pickens Stadium in preparation for the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma football game on Saturday. The National Weather Service reports the area received about 2½ inches of snow and ice from winter storms that crossed the state Thursday and Friday.

OREGON

Schools hunkered down, either closing or curtailing hours, as the storm accompanied by plunging temperatures hit the state. Oregon State students got an early start on the weekend when the university shut down at noon.

Forecasters expect up to 3 inches on the coast and up to 10 inches east of the Cascade Range. Wind chills were forecast as low as minus-25.

TENNESSEE

Forecasters issued winter storm warnings and watches and an ice storm warning for West Tennessee on Friday.

Officials cautioned of hazardous road conditions and the possibility electricity could be lost. Schools closed, including universities.

TEXAS

This weekend’s Dallas Marathon was canceled after an ice storm snarled travel in North Texas and left more than a quarter of a million homes and business without electricity. Schools canceled classes a day before, many businesses gave workers the day off, and frigid roads and sidewalks were mostly empty.

Fort Worth-based American Airlines and American Eagle canceled nearly 1,000 flights Friday due to foul weather in Texas. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines canceled almost 90 flights.

Temperatures are forecast to stay below freezing after the rain passes, meaning residents will have to contend with icy roads through the weekend.

WASHINGTON

Organizers have canceled Saturday’s holiday parade in Walla Walla, saying they didn’t want to expose the expected 5,000 spectators to temperatures forecast to be no warmer than 11 degrees. The temperature Thursday at Pullman’s airport was a record-breaking minus-3.

WYOMING

Laramie postponed its Friday night downtown holiday parade and tree lighting because temperatures could drop as low as minus-15.