Brutal cold will open the door for a winter storm to take a somewhat unusual track through the South and create treacherous travel conditions.

National Weather Service meteorologists predicted wintry precipitation across the southern Plains region starting Wednesday night, with snow likely in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Farther south, snow could transition to sleet and freezing rain,

A winter weather system moving through the Gulf States will bring light snow to parts of Missouri and Illinois on Friday, though the system is expected to have minimal impact compared to recent storms. Brutal cold will open the door for a winter storm to take a somewhat unusual track through the South and create treacherous travel conditions.