India, Feb. 1 -- A powerful storm bore down on the East Coast on Saturday, with forecasters warning of howling winds, flooding and heavy snow, including in some Southeast coastal communities more accustomed to hurricanes than blizzards. Temperatures plummeted even as tens of thousands of homes and businesses remained without power. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - whose official seal is the sun, palm trees and a seagull - 15 cm of snow was expected. The city has no snow removal equipment, and authorities planned to "use what we can find," Mayor Mark Kruea said.

Subfreezing weather was forecast into February, with heavy snow in the Carolinas, Virginia and northeast Georgia over the weekend including up to a foot (30 cm) in parts of North...