Extreme weather disrupts much of US

STORY: Over 418,000 homes and businesses in 12 states are without power ahead of a brutal freeze that is expected to blanket the region starting this weekend.

The current storm is covering most of the country east of the Mississippi River, according to AccuWeather.com. It is moving toward the U.S. Northeast.

The storm is coming ahead of what will likely be the nation's coldest weather since December 2022, according to data from financial firm LSEG.