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.

A winter storm that dropped heavy snow and glazed roads throughout the U.S. South is maintaining its icy grip on much of the region into the weekend.

At least 46 million people were under a winter storm warning as of Thursday as the storm spreads along the Gulf Coast Friday, according to the weather service. The storm should weaken by Saturday, bringing lighter snow between 1 and 3 inches to parts of the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic and the Ohio Valley before exiting off the Carolinas.