A major winter storm slammed the US Gulf Coast Tuesday, blanketing parts of a region largely unaccustomed to extreme winter weather with record-breaking snowfall.

Part of a legal description of a boundary line of Dixie County, for instance, says it goes "southerly down the thread of the main stream of said Suwannee River to the Gulf of Mexico; thence along said Gulf of Mexico, including the waters of said gulf within the jurisdiction of the State of Florida, to the mouth of the Steinhatchee River."

Learn about the dangers of keeping dogs outside in cold weather and essential tips to keep them safe and comfortable during winter.

What to Know As extreme winter weather and low temperatures threaten much of the country in the upcoming days, it is important to make sure family, friends and neighbors are safe. This concern should also extend to our four-legged,