Severe weather strikes

(NBCNC) - The last full day of winter is weighing on weary residents in the Northeast.

Up to a foot and a half of snow is forcing New Englanders to fire up the snow blowers, hopefully for the last time this season.

Travel has been extremely treacherous.

Wrecks were everywhere, including Worcester, Massachusetts where the snow removal budget is already $2-million in the red.

• MassDOT already over budget

Down South it's been costly to clean up damage from overnight storms.

Thousands across Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia were without power Tuesday morning after rain, heavy winds and even hail tore through the area.

Two deaths in Georgia are blamed on trees knocked over by straight-line high winds of up to 80 miles per hour.

• Severe storms, large hail pummel parts of South

While Northeast ski slope operators cash in on this late winter blast, they're looking for shade in Texas.

Another scorcher was expected in Brownsville and Laredo after highs in the upper 90s Monday.