Snowfall blankets Oklahoma and Texas

EL PASO, TEXAS >> A powerful winter storm in the central United States dropped snow as far south as El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday while areas of the Deep South were at risk of severe weather, including tornadoes and torrential rains, forecasters said.

Winter storm warnings or advisories were in effect from northeastern Oklahoma to the Great North Woods of Maine on Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, the Storm Prediction Center said storms that could generate hail, 60 mph winds and twisters were possible across much of Mississippi and Alabama. The threat extended into border regions of Tennessee, and forecasters said bad weather could continue after dark.

El Paso International Airport recorded 2 inches of snow, according to weather service meteorologist David Hefner, who said the city averages 6.9 inches of snow per season.

The weather service forecast sunny skies and a high of about 50 degrees for El Paso for today.

However, freezing temperatures were expected from the Red River Valley of Texas through Oklahoma today.

The winter storm caused a multi-vehicle pileup Wednesday on an Interstate 70 bridge in central Missouri but mostly missed a parade to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win. The weather service initially predicted 2 to 3 inches of snowfall along the parade route. But weather service meteorologist Jimmy Barham said the storm shifted slightly, sparing fans from all but a few flurries.