Deadly cold leaves millions without power in Texas

[NFA] An Arctic air mass delivered bone-chilling temperatures to parts of the U.S. unaccustomed to frigid weather, leaving millions of Texans without power on Tuesday.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

Millions of people in Texas were left without power Tuesday, after a rare deep freeze forced the state's electric grid operator to impose rotating blackouts because of higher power demand.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner - in an afternoon briefing - said 1.3 million people in his city alone were without power.

He appealed to state and local providers to act quickly: "We need to get this power restored ASAP.

At the very minimum give us some information so we can tell people when they can expect their power will be restored." At least four deaths were tied to the bitter cold engulfing vast areas of the country over the holiday weekend.

Two of those deaths were due to carbon monoxide poisoning, as several people were treated in hospitals for trying to heat icy homes with outdoor grills or propane heaters.

And officials say at least three people died when a tornado - fueled by a low pressure system - swept through North Carolina’s Brunswick County overnight.

In Oklahoma City, volunteers tried to make sure homeless residents could endure the cold snap.

In a Chicago neighborhood, snow almost completely took over an outdoor patio set.

In Texas,some residents found ways to enjoy the chill, riding snowboards - or laundry baskets - down frozen hills.

An approaching storm is expected to bring more snow, ice and sleet from the Texas panhandle through Kentucky and up through Washington D.C.

To New York City, New Jersey and Boston.