A rare frigid storm is charging through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow, closing highways and grounding nearly all flights.

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.

A rare frigid storm charged through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow that closed highways, grounded nearly all flights and canceled school for more than a million students more accustomed to hurricane dismissals than snow days.

Frigid temperatures and sub-zero wind chills gripped the Chicago area Monday, causing one rally timed to the inauguration of President Donald Trump to be postponed, although others continued as planned.

Tuesday is the coldest day so far this winter, but it was far from a record. The coldest temperature on the books for Jan. 21 was 22 degrees below zero in 1984.

A Cold Weather Advisory is set to take effect across Chicagoland from 9 p.m. Monday until noon Tuesday due to dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills. Lows tonight will plunge to -5 to -10 degrees,