Monster winter storm lashes the U.S., at least 12 deaths reported

Thursday, February 13, 2014, 11:13 AM -

Officials say at least 12 deaths in the southern and Mid-Atlantic states are being blamed on a monster winter storm pushing through the region.

Ice and snow, combined with powerful wind gusts were enough to snap tree limbs and power lines.

Hundreds of thousands of people are without power and more than 4,000 flights have been cancelled.

More air and road travel complications are expected on Thursday, particularly in the Northeast, officials warn.

After being caught badly unprepared by the last storm in January, schools and businesses in Atlanta shut down well ahead of this system.

As he did for parts of Georgia, President Barack Obama declared a disaster in South Carolina, opening the way for federal aid.

EXTREME WEATHER: The first six weeks of 2014 have been brutal

In Washington, where up to 25 cm of snow is possible, officials have ordered all federal offices close, telling thousands of employees to just stay home.

The plows are out in North Carolina, but for a lot of stranded drivers, it hasn't done much good.

Officials in the southeast urged people to stay home if they could as the road conditions got progressively worse. Even first responders were having a hard time getting around, slipping and sliding as they tried to get their vehicles moving again.

Forecasters say the storm may bring the biggest winter blast this season to the northeast.

MONSTER STORM

A new NASA video of NOAA's GOES satellite imagery shows three days of movement of the massive winter storm that stretches from the southern U.S. to the northeast.

With files from The Associated Press