CNN —The deadly storm system that destroyed homes in the South is heading east, threatening more tornadoes, freezing rain, treacherous travel and power outages. At least two people were killed in Louisiana as the system’s vicious winds tore through communities from Oklahoma to Texas to Mississippi. Now on the cold side of this massive, multifaceted storm, more than 35 million people from Utah, Idaho and Montana all the way to New England are under winter weather alerts Wednesday. And a half million people in at least four states are under blizzard warnings until Thursday morning.

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