WICHITA, Kan., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Many roads, schools and government offices were closed Monday in Central Plains states, which braced for a storm with heavy snow and high winds. National Weather Service meteorologists warned the storm could bring potentially "life threatening" and "crippling" blizzard conditions portions of southeast Kansas, northwest Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. A storm system late last week brought snow, sleet and rain to 20 states. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Texas was closed until at least noon on Monday, CNN reported. "Nothing coming in or out until then at the earliest," airport spokesman Daryl Ware said. Across Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle, schools districts, senior centers and churches were closed until at least Tuesday, as were some state and local offices. In Kansas, which had more than a foot of snow in some places in last week's storm, Gov. Sam Brownback extended a state of emergency declaration to include the new storm. "This storm has the potential to be more dangerous than last week's storm," Brownback told Kansans late Sunday. So, we ask you to stay off the road unless it's absolutely critical. If you have to be out, be prepared with a charged cell phone, an emergency kit with food, water, blankets, flares and a shovel. "It would have been nice if we'd had a few days to recover, to do some equipment rehab," Public Works Deputy Director Joe Pajor told The Wichita Eagle. Forecasters predicted 8 to 10 inches of snow in northwest Oklahoma after temperatures had reached the mid-60s Sunday, CNN said. In Texas, the Transportation Department closed portions of westbound Interstate-40 from near Amarillo to Albuquerque. The Texas Department of Public Safety shut down portions of U.S. highways 87 and 187 because of whiteout conditions that were expected to remain through Monday afternoon. With more than 9 inches of snow reported in some areas of Denver early Monday, airline operations were trying to return to normal after more than 200 flights were canceled and hundreds flights delayed because of the weather Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Up to 19 inches of snow was reported in Jefferson, about 70 miles southwest of Denver. A huge swath of the nation -- including Chicago, where 3 to 5 inches of snow and sleet are expected Tuesday -- prepared for snow and rain was forecast for parts of the Southeast. In San Antonio and Junction, Texas, the storm that brought snow farther north produced damaging winds, hail and an isolated tornado as thunderstorms race eastward to Houston and Lake Charles, La. Other tornadoes were possible in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Georgia, the weather service said. Some areas from Louisiana to South Carolina could get up to 4 inches of rain. Flood watches were in effect hrough Tuesday morning.