A powerful and rare winter storm swept across the South on Tuesday, bringing the first-ever Blizzard Warning to the Gulf Coast and blasting communities from Texas to Florida to the Carolinas with record-shattering snow that snarled travel and brought daily life to a halt.

The snowstorm currently lashing the Gulf Coast is being described as a once in a generation weather event, the National Weather Service said Monday.

Preparations are underway from Houston to Atlanta as a rare winter storm sets its sights on the southern U.S., where it's expected to bring a messy mix of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain that could have a major impact on travel and daily life.

A significant portion of I-10 is closed in both directions in Louisiana west of Baton Rouge to the Texas border.

A winter storm pummeled the southern United States with ice and snow Tuesday. Here's how much snow fell in Florida, Texas, Alabama and more.

Airports are readying for major disruptions in Texas, Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast before anticipated wintry blast.

Snow totals in Louisiana have broken records. Parts of Florida, Texas and Georgia have also accumulated several inches of snow.

Over 10 inches of snow has been reported in Louisiana as a historic, unprecedented snowstorm slams the South. The snow is falling across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, bringing many roads to a standstill.

A winter storm dumped snow from Texas into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and even Florida Tuesday. More of the South is up next.

Florida just saw the most snow on record, with a preliminary 8.8 inches observed in Milton, which is north of Pensacola.

As heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain hit parts of the Deep South, a blast of Arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.