A severe winter storm that is moving east through the US has killed at least three people and produced tornadoes in some southern states while covering others in snow.
In Louisiana, a young kid and his mother perished when a tornado demolished their house.
The Midwest had blizzard-like conditions as a result of the massive storm, with highways and schools blocked and some locations receiving 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow.
Nearly 150 additional planes have been canceled and over 3,300 have been delayed.
Blizzard warnings are in effect for about 500,000 people in Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Travel is challenging due to strong winds and heavy snowfall. Less severe winter weather alerts are in place for millions more people across the nation.
Along the Gulf coast, particularly in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and portions of Florida, severe storms are expected. In some areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, there are also tornado warnings.
Rescuers spent hours looking before finding the mother and son who perished in a remote region close to Shreveport.
Eight-year-old Nikolaus Little’s remains were discovered in a forested area a half-mile from the family home.
Yoshiko A. Smith, his mother, was found dead under a mound of debris-about a street away from the demolished house, according to officials.
According to a local legislator, a 56-year-old woman was also discovered dead outside her home in St Charles Parish. She passed away after a tornado demolished her home, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
At least 25 people were harmed after a tornado struck the small hamlet of Farmerville, which is around 100 miles (160 km) distant, according to local news source KNOE.
On Tuesday, at least 18 tornadoes damaged homes and other structures as they made landfall in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
On Wednesday, further incidents were reported, and the governor of Louisiana proclaimed a state of emergency.
The storm is expected to have some effects on the majority of the US as it progresses east over the next few days, bringing with it low temperatures and snowfall.
According to FlightAware.com, the extreme weather has delayed hundreds of flights at Denver International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport during the last two days.
The storm has also spread into Canada, where it has caused significant snowfall and strong winds in the Saskatchewan and Manitoba provinces and the southern Prairie region of that nation.
The upper Midwest and northeastern US are expected to experience freezing rain and other wintry weather on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Last Friday, the storm system started to hit the US, delivering parts of California with strong winds and snow.
