A rare winter storm is sweeping the Gulf Coast, bringing record-breaking snow, sleet, and freezing rain to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and southeast Texas.

The National Weather Service issued its first-ever blizzard warning for parts of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

Road closures, grounded flights, and states of emergency have been declared across the region, with schools canceling classes, Fox 8 Live has reported.

Officials urge residents to stay off roads as icy conditions worsen, and freezing temperatures are expected to persist, causing potential pipe bursts and hazardous black ice.

Written by B.C. Begley