Record cold temps or wintry mix storms in much of U.S.

A wide swath of the country shivered in freezing, record-breaking temperatures while other areas saw more winter precipitation Tuesday.

A mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain hit parts of the southern Plains and the South, where school districts in more than a half-dozen states from Texas eastward canceled or delayed classes.

Meanwhile, the East Coast endured colder-than-usual weather. Temperatures were well below average in many spots, and even far below zero.

The wintry weather showed no sign of letting up: Especially in the South, many folks braced for more storms later this week.

Here's a look at what was happening:

Chain-reaction crash

A man was seriously injured after he got out of his car on a Michigan bridge and was struck by a vehicle in a chain-reaction crash, officials said.

The 11-vehicle wreck happened around 9:30 a.m., Executive Secretary Bob Sweeney of the Mackinac Bridge Authority said.

Winds up to 50 mph whipped snow off the frozen Straits of Mackinac, making visibility poor, Sweeney said.

A man got out of his car to switch places with his wife and was hit. Then a number of other vehicles ran into each other, he said.

The injured motorist was taken to a hospital but his condition was unknown, Sweeney said.

The 5-mile-long bridge was closed until about 2:20 p.m.

Meanwhile, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is declaring a state of emergency ahead of a winter storm expected to bring a mix of snow, ice and freezing rain.

Bentley said Tuesday that he's authorizing 250 Alabama National Guardsmen to prepare to respond to any emergency requests for assistance. Bentley says Alabama law enforcement agencies have coordinated state resources to respond to stranded drivers.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a winter storm warning from 9 a.m. Wednesday to midnight. Forecasters say areas north of the I-20 corridor will likely see a mix of wintry precipitation overnight, shifting into snowfall Wednesday afternoon and evening. Forecasters say snow accumulations could top 4 inches in some areas.

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Snow for sale

A Massachusetts man found a way to profit from the several feet of snow in his yard: Shipping it to people in warmer climates for the bargain price of $89 for six pounds.

Kyle Waring, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, got the idea while shoveling snow. He's launched ShipSnowYo.com.

At first, he shipped 16.9-ounce snow-filled bottles for $19.99, but he found the snow melted by the time it arrived at its destination.

So he came up with a new plan, selling six pounds at a time. He tells Boston.com that even if the snow melts a little by the time it arrives, the package can still make 10 to 15 snowballs.

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No stopping for bicycle commuter

The cold and snow haven't stopped Fraser Cunningham. On Friday, just as he's been doing every single morning at 5:30 for more than 18 months, the 56-year-old GE engineer hopped on his bicycle and rode to work.

It was so cold that his eyes froze open during the trek, he told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

"It's better than freezing shut," he said.

Cunningham hadn't missed a day commuting by bicycle since July 22, 2013.

His route is 16.5 miles each way.

Missing a day because it's raining, or snowing, or windy, would be a slippery slope, he said - it has to be every day.

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Salt Shortage

As snow and frigid temperatures continue in Ohio, communities in parts of the state are running short on road salt, city officials said.

Some cities have waited weeks for hundreds of tons of ordered salt, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported.

The region has recorded nearly 60 inches of snow since November. Lower-than average temperatures have made snow harder to melt and roads more difficult to clear.

For some cities, a serious salt problem is just one more snowfall away.

"We have enough to last this next week, but if it keeps consistently snowing it's going to be difficult," Middleburg Heights Service Director Jim Herron said.

In North Carolina, the state highway patrol says snow-covered roads are to blame in separate traffic accidents that killed two people.

A statement from the patrol says a motorist was killed in eastern Wake County Tuesday when the car they were in went off U.S. 64, hit an embankment and struck two trees on the driver's side.

The victim's identity hasn't been released pending notification of relatives.

In Onslow County, the patrol said a car lost control on a road around noon Tuesday, crossed the center line and hit a ditch and struck a tree

Authorities identified the driver as 32-year-old Amber Barraclough of Jacksonville. She died at Onslow Memorial Hospital.

A passenger in the front seat of the car was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

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Snowball Fight

At Duke University, psychology professor Amir Rezvani brought his class outside for an impromptu snowball fight near the traffic circle that surrounds the statue of Washington Duke. More than two dozen students giggled and bent over to grab handfuls of snow and pelt one another.

"I asked them to come out for 10 minutes," Rezvani said before bending over and balling up some snow.

Mary Gabrielle Thompson, a freshman from Boston, said the "snow's not very impressive." But she admitted the snowball fight was wonderful.

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Hikers Beware

At the Top of Georgia Hostel & Hiking Center, a shelter for hikers on the Appalachian Trail, the branches of pine trees were dipping low with the weight of about 4 inches of snow, proprietor Bob Gabrielsen said Tuesday morning.

About 16 hikers spent the night Monday, Gabrielsen said, and all of them hiked out Tuesday morning on the trail, which was transformed into a bright white snowscape in the north Georgia mountains east of Hiawassee. This time of year, some hikers camp on the trail itself.

Gabrielsen warned that inexperienced hikers could find themselves in trouble because weather forecasts aren't always accurate, cellphone coverage can be spotty or nonexistent, and roads can be several miles away.

Some people think hiking the Appalachian Trail "is like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride where you can get off when you want to - and you can't necessarily do that," Gabrielsen said.