South is getting rare winter storm

Schools were shuttered and flights canceled across the South on today as snow began falling, bringing a rare white landscape that could stretch into areas that haven't seen snow in a decade — or longer. Winter storm warnings spanned the Gulf Coast states early this morning as the snow crawled east out of Texas, where it left the Dallas area with more than a foot of snow, nearly 200 traffic accidents and hundreds of canceled flights. Snow, ice and sleet closed parts of Interstate 49 in central Louisiana early Friday. Areas of northern and central Louisiana got 5 inches or more of snow before dawn today. In southern Mississippi, 3 inches had fallen in McComb and 2 inches were on the ground in Tylertown. One to 3 inches of snow had fallen in Jackson. Snow also began falling in southern Alabama, where up to 5 inches was expected. Predictions of an inch of snow was enough to close schools in the Florida Panhandle, while classes also were canceled in parts of Alabama. In Pensacola, Fla., heavy rain fell early today as the area braced for possible snow.