Massive Ice Storm In South East

More than 700,000 homes and businesses began the day Friday without power after a frigid night allowed ice to build from a deadly storm in the South.

Schools remained closed Friday in Virginia and Maryland, and the ice left commuters with more tough driving conditions in Georgia.

Throughout the Atlanta area, traffic was backed up for miles because of accidents and ice that closed ramps and interstates, despite efforts to salt the roads.

Hundreds of accidents were reported and utility companies said it would take days to fully restore power. Still in the dark Friday were about 328,000 customers in North Carolina, 358,000 customers in South Carolina, 30,000 in Georgia and 13,000 in Virginia.

Many outages were caused when ice-laden tree limbs fell onto power lines.

At least four deaths were reported, including a 58-year-old man in suburban Charlotte who was lying on a couch in his living room when a 100-foot tree buckled from heavy ice and crushed him. Two men were killed in Maryland and another died in Georgia, each after losing control of his vehicle in separate accidents.

North Carolina's heaviest icing -- one-half to three-quarters of an inch -- came in the southwestern area of Saluda and Flat Rock