Winter storm pummels states

More than 100 million people were under winter weather alerts on Thursday as a large storm system poured snow, sleet, and rain on more than two dozen states ranging from the U.S.-Mexico border to New England. The system dumped more than a foot of snow on areas in the Midwest, dropped measurable snow in Texas, and even spawned a tornado in Alabama. The National Weather Service warned that the Northeast is next. Parts of New York and New England could receive over a foot of snow.

Is there storm damage? More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power on Thursday after ice accumulation downed trees and power lines, mainly in Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. Texas reported 70,000 power outages on Thursday, well below the 4 million during a storm a year ago that crippled the state’s power grid. Airlines canceled more than 6,000 flights on Thursday and Friday.

Dig deeper: Check the National Weather Service for the latest storm updates.