Frozen South: Could Be Days Before Thaw Comes

It could be days before icy, treacherous conditions improve for areas of the South hit by a wintry blast that sent cars sliding off roads, emptied grocery shelves and had officials nervously watching ice-laden powerlines and tree limbs.

Snow ranging from several inches to more than a foot has blanketed states from Louisiana to the Carolinas — a region where many cities have only a handful of snow plows, if any. And more misery is on the way: The snow began turning to freezing rain in numerous areas, and low temperatures threatened to turn roads that may have thawed icy overnight.

The storm shut down most cities, closed many businesses and canceled most flights at Atlanta's airport, the world's busiest. At least nine people were killed in weather-related traffic accidents.