Massive winter storm blankets central US

CHICAGO (AFP) - A massive winter storm blanketed much of the central United States (US) on Thursday, dumping heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, and even prompting tornado warnings with its high winds.

Tens of millions of people in 24 states were expected to be affected by the storm before it peters out when it reaches the Great Lakes on Friday or Saturday.

But that won't bring clear skies. The storm was pulling a second system up from the Gulf of Mexico that is expected to smother parts of the East Coast with up to 60cm of snow on Saturday and Sunday.

The National Weather Service said as much as 43cm of snow had fallen in parts of Colorado and Kansas by Thursday afternoon.