LIVE MAP: See the U.S. winter storm 72-hour snowfall forecast

Forecasters say over half the U.S. population could be affected by snow, ice or bitter cold as a winter storm sweeps across the county.

See the 72-hour snowfall forecast below.

The following map shows the forecasted cumulative snowfall amounts predicted over a 72-hour period. It updates automatically using the latest data from the National Weather Service. Click on a color-shaded region of the map to see the forecast for that area.

At least 177 million people were under watches or warnings for ice and snow and more than 200 million were under cold weather advisories or warnings. Forecasters warned that the damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival a hurricane.

WATCH: What to expect from the potentially devastating winter storm

Ice and snow could begin falling later Friday in Texas and Oklahoma. The storm was expected to slide into the South with freezing rain and sleet. Then it will move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington, D.C., through New York and Boston, the National Weather Service predicted.