With arctic air still locked in place across the East, the next winter storm is poised to bring a treacherous mix of snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain to the South and possibly the Mid-Atlantic, which once again could potentially disrupt travel and daily life for millions of people in the coming days.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches across northern Texas, southeast Oklahoma, Arkansas and northern Louisiana, including the Dallas-Fort Worth; Little Rock, Ark.; and Shreveport, La., areas. Forecasters warned of hazardous travel conditions and potential disruptions to daily life in these areas.

The storm is arriving just days after the first major winter storm of the year disrupted life in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, delaying or canceling more than 9,000 flights, causing accidents resulting in at least three deaths, and leaving more than 200,000 customers without power amid states of emergencies in several areas.

This winter storm is expected to begin on Wednesday along the Gulf Coast before moving northeast in an elongated path from Texas to the Carolinas, bringing a mix of snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain.

The first signs of winter weather will arrive on Wednesday night, with light snow developing over western Texas. The true impact is set to unfold Thursday into Friday, as a more potent system strengthens along the Gulf Coast and combines with arctic air spilling southward.

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