ST LOUIS - AN ICE storm slickened roads and sidewalks, grounded flights, and cut power to tens of thousands in a swath across the central United States as even colder weather threatened.

The wintry weather was expected to continue through midweek, and ice storm warnings stretched from Texas to Pennsylvania.

'Tomorrow may be even more of a dilemma than today because we're going to get even a little bit more colder,' said Mr John Pike, a meteorologist in the Weather Service's office in Norman, Oklahoma, on Sunday.

Five traffic deaths were blamed on icy roads in Oklahoma.

More than 130,000 customers lost power in Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois and Kansas, utilities reported.

Missouri Governor Matt Blunt declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard.

At Kansas City International Airport, about two dozen flights were cancelled by midafternoon on Sunday, and more than a dozen flights were called off at St Louis Lambert International Airport. -- AP