2021 winter storm

The weather sweeping parts of the Western U.S. and the Pacific Northwest has brought heavy snow and record low temperatures in some areas — and there's more to come.

Retail sales dropped sharply last month after a winter storm blanketed much of the country's midsection, but forecasters expect a sharp rebound in sales.

Texas allows companies to sell electricity at wholesale prices. When the price of electricity skyrocketed last week, that meant exorbitant bills for many residents who had been trying to save money.

The White House COVID-19 Response Team said Friday that while this week's storm affected deliveries to all 50 states, it is confident it can make up the backlog within the next week.

Many Texans were getting the electricity back on, but millions still face either no water at all or are having to boil it to make it safe to drink.

The Texas Democratic Party is calling for the resignation of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who went on a family vacation in the middle of a deadly winter storm. He returned, calling the trip "a mistake."

White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall says the extreme weather situation in Texas serves as a reminder that the U.S. is not fully prepared to deal with climate change.

Harris County has reported at least 300 incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning from the improper use of home heating devices like grills, stoves and generators, as residents scramble to find warmth.

More severe weather is ahead for many of the same areas already hit hardest by the historic winter weather, with more than 100 million people in the path of the latest storms.

About 7 million people in Texas, including residents of Houston, Arlington, Fort Worth, Tyler and San Antonio need to boil their water to ensure it's safe for cooking and drinking.