(MCT) — Fierce winds and snow smashed through the Midwest on Thursday, part of a weather system that has killed at least three and is setting the stage for miserable commuting and holiday travel through the heart of the nation.

The winter-like weather didn’t wait for Friday’s official start of the season as blizzard conditions were reported in a wide swath from Kansas to Wisconsin. Across the South, high winds generated by the same storm system spawned tornado damage and warnings in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.