CNN —
Treacherous road conditions that contributed to the deaths of at least two people in Texas are expected to continue across states in the South and central US on Wednesday as the areas brace for more ice and sleet.
A miserable combination of freezing rain, sleet and accumulating ice likely will persist in parts of Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee through at least Wednesday as a winter storm makes driving conditions life-threatening for thousands in the region.
“Dangerous travel conditions (especially during the evening and morning commutes), tree damage, and power outages are likely across the Mid-South. Please proceed with extreme caution especially on overpasses and bridges if you must travel,” the National Weather Service in Memphis said Tuesday evening.
As layers of ice and sleet glazed Texas roads Tuesday, the state reported at least two deaths related to car crashes. In south Austin, one person died Tuesday morning in a 10-car pileup, the city’s fire department said. Another person died when their car rolled over in the Dallas-area city of Arlington, police said.
The deadly storm’s impacts have led to school closures in western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi, major road closures as well as hundreds of flight cancellations, most at Texas airports.
In Texas – where the heaviest ice accumulation is forecast – some school districts have shuttered their doors and the Parkland Health system in Dallas has closed its clinics Wednesday.
“Icing concerns are increasing through the overnight into Wednesday morning with precipitation rates along with areal coverage increasing. Travel will become increasingly treacherous, especially on the elevated bridges and overpasses,” the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio said.
As officials and forecasters implore drivers to stay off the roads, here’s what else is expected Wednesday:
• Texas: The heaviest round of sleet and freezing rain is expected Wednesday. The Austin and San Antonio region as well as parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area are bracing for what could be the worst of ice accumulations from the storm. Most areas in the impacted region are expected to see around or below freezing temperatures.
• Southern Oklahoma is expecting another round of wintry rain Wednesday, with ice accumulations of up to an inch expected.
• South-central Arkansas and Tennessee’s Memphis area could see an additional tenth to quarter of an inch of ice.
• Ice overview: Widespread total ice accumulation of at least a quarter of an inch is likely from West Texas to western Tennessee through Thursday morning. Up to a half- inch could accumulate in parts of central and north-central Texas and southern Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.
• Power outages: Ice and sleet building up on tree limbs can cause them to break and knock down power lines. Texas reported the most outages early Wednesday, with more than 100,000 homes and businesses in the dark.
More than 8 million people across much of central and eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi and parts of Texas are under ice storm warnings.
The National Weather Service issues ice storm warnings when ice accumulations of more than a quarter of an inch are possible. On Wednesday, the warning areas are expected to see up to or more than a half of an inch of freezing rain.
“Prepare for tree limb breakage and localized power outages in this region, in addition to hazardous or impossible travel conditions,” that National Weather Service in Dallas warned.
Unsafe travel conditions on Tuesday led to hundreds of car crashes across Texas, officials said. Additionally, first responders provided aid to some who suffered hypothermia and others injured after slipping on ice.
The storm impacted about 1,600 roads across Texas, according to Gov. Greg Abbott, who urged residents to stay home and said driving conditions will remain dangerous for the next day or two.
The Texas National Guard is prepared across the state to assist stranded motorists, clear roadways and provide welfare checks, Abbott added, and Texas Parks and Wildlife has at least 30 responders ready for search and rescue operations.
As for air travel, more than 1,400 US flights were canceled Wednesday, according to the tracking website FlightAware.
