Major winter storm in US threatens millions with snow, ice and brutal cold

State of emergencies issues in several states and cities as eastern two-thirds of country to experience dangerous cold

A major winter storm was sweeping across the central US on Sunday, forecasters said, bringing with it a dreaded combination of snow, ice and plunging temperatures.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings from Kansas and Missouri - where blizzard conditions are expected - to New Jersey.