NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A band of heavy snow, freezing rain and cold temperatures was spreading across southeastern states early Saturday, promising a messy weekend of slick roads and power outages.

The heaviest snow, possibly up to a foot, was predicted in Arkansas near the Missouri state line, northern Tennessee near the Kentucky and Virginia borders and western North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service warned that icy roads and downed power lines were likely after snow changed to freezing rain Friday night over western Tennessee and northeastern Arkansas.

With temperatures expected to remain below freezing through the weekend, a fresh coating of ice was possible over the area, much of it along the Interstate 40 corridor.

In mountainous western North Carolina, I-26 near Asheville and I-40 near Black Mountain were shut down Friday night after snow and icy roads caused multiple wrecks. Troopers said they expected the highways to remain closed until early Saturday.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen declared a state of emergency. States of emergency were also declared in Arkansas and parts of Virginia and schools closed early in northern Alabama.

The weather service was predicting snowfall of as much as 6 to 10 inches in south central Kentucky near the Tennessee border. Snowfall in the Nashville area reached 4 to 6 inches.