At least 72 dead, 27 in Tennessee alone, as early winter storms continue to pummel U.S.

At least 72 dead, 27 in Tennessee alone, as early winter storms continue to pummel U.S.

At least 72 people have died in the week-and-a-half-long winter storms that continue to pound much of the U.S., officials said.

About 57 million people woke up to winter weather alerts on Monday, with systems producing freezing rain in the Midwest and South for residents of eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.

That freezing rain will continue across parts of the Midwest and the southern Great Lakes on Tuesday with storms producing periods of rain or snow before exiting into Canada.

Another round of freezing rain is expected to break out across the central Plains and Great Lakes regions on Wednesday.

These dangerous winter weather conditions have lead to at least 72 deaths directly attributed to rain, ice and snow since Jan. 12, local have officials have said.

At least 27 of those deaths have happened in Tennessee, more than in any other state.

Public schools in Nashville and Memphis remained closed on Monday as officials continued to urge Tennessee residents to stay off dangerous, ice-slicked roads.

A pickup truck nearly went off a 200-foot cliff in Maury County on Sunday. A local sheriff’s detective happened to see the driver losing control before stopping to help and calling fire rescuers, officials said.

Responders secured the pickup truck and got the man out of his precariously dangling vehicle, authorities said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com