India, Jan. 23 -- Several parts of the US are preparing for a massive winter storm as the National Weather Service has issued warning of snow and strong winds that are likely to sweep across large areas over the weekend. The extreme weather could cause catastrophic damage and power outages as bitterly cold weather is moving toward the eastern two-thirds of the US.

The massive storm system is expected to bring a crippling ice storm from Texas through parts of the South, around a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Oklahoma through Washington, D.C.; New York and Boston, AP reported. Parts of Minnesota and North Dakota are also preparing to face bitterly cold air that could drop wind chills to mius-50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-46 Celsius). ...