A powerful and dangerous winter storm sweeping across the South is dumping heavy snow across Houston and other major metropolitan areas along the Interstate 10 corridor, prompting the first-ever Blizzard Warning along portions of the Gulf Coast.

A rare winter storm charging through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday has closed highways and airports and prompted the first blizzard warning for southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

Galveston county residents Tuesday awoke to a blanket of snow and sleet.