More than half of US braces for winter storm

It was too cold for school in Chicago and other Midwestern cities on Friday as a huge, dayslong winter storm began to crank up that could bring snow, sleet, ice and bone-chilling temperatures as well as extensive power outages to about half the US population from Texas to New England.

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Forecasters warned that the damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival a hurricane. At least 177 million people were under watches or warnings for ice and snow and more than 200 million were under cold weather advisories or warnings and in many places they overlapped.

Maricela Resendiz went shopping on Friday in Dallas ahead of the storm moving in there. She picked up chicken, eggs and some pizzas to get her, her 5-year-old son and her boyfriend through the weekend.

"It's going to be a big storm," she said, adding her weekend plans are "staying in, just being out of the way."