(NEWSNET/AP) — Subfreezing temperature has millions in the U.S. facing extreme cold as Arctic storms threatened near-blizzard conditions in the northeast and several inches of snow in portions of the South.

National Weather Service said windy, subfreezing conditions in the Dakotas and Montana and could push wind chill as low as minus-70 degrees.

An estimated 95 million people are affected by weather warnings or advisories for wind chill below zero, according to NWS. Forecasters said the severe cold is expected to extend as far south as Texas.

Officials warned people to stay off roads in Buffalo, New York, where snowfall of 1 to 2 feet was forecast.

More than half of flights into and out of Buffalo Niagara International Airport were canceled. Flights also were canceled or delayed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Denver International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Intense bursts of heavy snow and wind could cause a drastic drop in visibility in eastern Pennsylvania and parts of northern New Jersey and Delaware.

The weather service urged people to stay off the roads, saying such squalls could bring “near whiteout conditions and a quick one-half inch of snow in just 10 to 15 minutes.”

Another Arctic storm that dumped heavy snowfall in the Rockies could move southward and bring as much as 6 inches of snow to portions of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Widespread outages affecting tens of thousands were reported in Michigan and Wisconsin.

More than 150,000 homes and businesses in Oregon were without electricity following heavy snow and ice storms, according to poweroutage.us. Harsh weather in Portland played a role in three deaths.

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