Forecasters issued winter weather advisories across much of the Deep South ahead of plunging temperatures that are expected to last for the next several days.

The advisories Saturday covered eastern Louisiana and most of Mississippi and Alabama.

The National Weather Service warned that freezing rain and a wintry mix of precipitation was possible through the weekend.

In Georgia, advocates for the homeless feared the unusually long stretch of frigid weather for Atlanta could kill some homeless people in the city. Temperatures are expected to plunge into the teens Monday and Tuesday night.

Drew Benton said he and other volunteers are prepared to distribute supplies to Atlanta's homeless for the next eight nights if temperatures dip below freezing as expected.