Several parts of Texas are under a winter weather advisory, including counties east of El Paso, Dallas, Austin, and areas north of San Antonio.

A major winter storm is expected to plow across the country this weekend, delivering a dangerous combination of freezing rain, heavy snow and bitter cold to more than 160 million Americans.

“We are calling this winter storm historic because the just sheer ice totals that we’re forecasting are — they will be crippling for infrastructure,” Ms. Dirks said.

Residents across the Texas Panhandle are bracing for wicked winter weather this week, with a "prolonged period" of wintry mix conditions to impact that part of the state. National Weather Service forecasters are saying freezing drizzle Monday,