Massive winter storm paralyses 40% of US population

Nearly 10,000 flights cancelled; power outages spread; ice and snow stymie travel plans

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Strong winds kick up snow in Lowville, New York

(AP)

Almost 10,000 flights across the US set to take off over the weekend have been canceled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country threatens to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways.

Roughly 140 million people, or more than 40% of the US population, were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina. Forecasters say damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.