Tens of thousands of people are without power after a major winter storm swept across the U.S. Up to 17 inches of snow and ice covered parts of the Northeast, says the National Weather Service (NWS).

"Bitter cold temperatures" will also span from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley and Northeast, says the NWS.

Several states are under winter advisory warnings but the NWS says it should gradually start to warm up by Sunday.

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