Winter weather alerts were in place for some 100 million people across 22 states from Nebraska to Massachusetts on Thursday as a series of winter storms descend on states in the North and the East, bringing snow,

Millions of people from the Midwest to the Northeast are on alert as a developing winter storm is expected to bring a potentially crippling ice threat that could knock out power and lead to treacherous travel conditions across the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all of northern Ohio starting Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Freezing rain is expected across the region with some accumulation of ice expected overnight until temperatures rise above freezing on Thursday morning.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh says a widespread winter storm could drop ice and freezing rain across eastern Ohio late Wednesday.

Punxsutawney Phil made his annual prediction in Pennsylvania, and the groundhog saw a shadow, meaning the United States is set for six more weeks of winter.