A major winter storm that slammed Texas and blanketed the northern Gulf Coast with record-breaking snow moved east Wednesday, spreading heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and eastern Carolinas.

A Florida man was arrested in Mississippi for drug trafficking, authorities said. According to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies stopped a

Dangerous below-freezing temperatures with even colder wind chills were also expected to last over much of the week in the region. Authorities say three people have died in the cold weather.

An arctic air mass will channel temperatures 20-30 degrees below already historically cold January averages. The South braced for a rare winter storm.

The heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain hitting parts of the Deep South came as a blast of Arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern US into a deep freeze.

Snow totals in Louisiana have broken records. Parts of Florida, Texas and Georgia have also accumulated several inches of snow.

Daryl Dewayne Crowden, 54, of Jacksonville ... Lowndes Co. Sheriff’s Office) A Florida man was arrested in Mississippi for drug trafficking, authorities said. (Courtesy: Lowndes Co. Sheriff ...

The West Virginia Mountaineers have signed former LSU lineman Kimo Makane’ole. Makane’ole was a highly-rated prospect coming out of Niceville, Florida, and chose the Tigers over opportunities from Arizona State,

CS Bakersfield at Cal St.-Fullerton, 10 p.m. Idaho St. at Sacramento St., 10 p.m. Long Beach St. at CS Northridge, 10 p.m. Loyola Marymount at Pacific, 10 p.m. San Diego at Portland, 10 p.m. UC Irvine at UC Riverside, 10 p.m. UC Santa Barbara at UC San Diego, 10 p.m. Weber St. at Portland St., 10 p.m.

All Times Eastern College Basketball Men’s Kennesaw State at New Mexico State — ESPN+, 4 p.m. Texas State at Louisiana — ESPN+, 4 p.m. Hampton at William & Mary — CBS Sports Network, 5 p.m. Maine at UMass-Lowell — ESPN+,

A major storm spread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the coastal Carolinas on Wednesday after breaking snow records in Texas and Louisiana, treating the region to unaccustomed perils and wintertime joy.

Lingering frigid conditions could continue to disrupt the South in cities not accustomed to the deep freeze that has gripped much of the nation.