A severe ice storm, part of Winter Storm Fern, has plunged over 400,000 residents in Mississippi and Tennessee into darkness, leaving them without power. The relentless storm brought a treacherous combination of freezing rain, downed trees, and power lines, creating hazardous road conditions that have hampered emergency response efforts. As frigid Arctic air settled over the region, temperatures plummeted into the teens, intensifying the hardship for those affected.