Texas is preparing for severe winter weather. An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee braced Wednesday for the possible arrival of freezing rain and snow even as some other parts of the U.S. hit by the plunging polar vortex this week began to shake off its icy effects.

An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee is bracing for the expected arrival of freezing rain and snow, as some other parts of the country that already received an arctic blast this week are prepari