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.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for many areas of Georgia. Here's a look at the forecast and what agencies are doing.

Overnight, the National Weather Service upgraded the entire Tri-State area to a winter storm warning for Friday.

On Friday at 2:45 p.m. an updated winter storm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 9 p.m. for Shelby, Talladega, Clay and Randolph counties.

What’s the difference between a warning, watch, and advisory? Sign up for our Newsletters. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts. Normally, a Winter Storm Watch will be issued ahea

Sleet and snow began to fall in parts of Richland and Lexington counties earlier than initially forecast, as parts of the Midlands remained under a winter storm warning Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow is expected to begin mid-morning for East Tennessee cities such as Knoxville, Gatlinburg and Oneida, and in early afternoon for those further north, closer to the Virginia state line, according to the National Weather Service.

The Winter Storm Warning is in effect now across Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. It started at midnight Friday and will last until 6 a.m. Saturday for Lincoln, Moore and Franklin Counties. The rest of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky are under the warning that started at 3 a.