A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and icy conditions to parts of the U.S. South on Thursday, forcing officials to close schools, cancel flights and warn residents in some of the worst-hit areas to stay off roads as it lumbered eastward through Oklahoma and Texas.

Tri-County area around Charleston sees morning sleet, snow flurries. National Weather Service said most action was in Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester counties.

Sleet and snow began to fall in parts of Richland and Lexington counties earlier than initially forecast, as parts of the Midlands remained under a winter storm warning Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.