Nationwide winter storm to bring heavy snow, ice and dangerous cold this weekend

A powerful winter storm will sweep across much of the US this weekend, bringing widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, plus bitterly cold air that could trigger power outages and dangerous travel conditions. Snow totals could exceed 12 inches in parts of the Northeast, with widespread ice and sleet from the southern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic. Warnings and watches span from the South to New England, governors declared emergencies in several states, and life-threatening wind chills are expected as the system moves eastward.