Parts of Georgia and Carolinas are digging out from a winter storm on Saturday after it produced heavy snow, freezing rain and ice across the region, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers.

The winter storm that knocked out power and brought plunging temperatures to other parts of the country moves into metro Atlanta and north Georgia this weekend, and state officials are urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

ATLANTA — An impactful winter storm has already brought accumulating snow for many, and a wintry mix of precipitation. Some freezing drizzle lingers overnight. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for metro Atlanta and much of north Georgia, shown in pink, until 7 a.m. Saturday.

State officials held a press briefing Friday morning at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) State Operations Center to update the public on their response to the winter storm impacting Georgia.

Thousands of flights have been canceled, including more than 400 out of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport – the nation’s busiest airport – where a ground delay has been issued.

As a winter storm moves through metro Atlanta, many travelers with flights scheduled for today are worried about getting out of town.

Storm Cora has paralyzed the South, bringing historic snowfall to Nashville and Memphis, rare snow to Charlotte, North Carolina, and record-breaking icy conditions to parts of Kentucky, Texas and Georgia,