St. Louis ? The season’s first big wintry storm blustered across the Midwest on Friday and closed in on the Northeast, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity, stranding airline passengers and collapsing the roof of a nursing home with its wet, heavy snow.

The storm was blamed for at least nine deaths as it cut a swath from Texas to the Northeast, bringing snow, freezing rain and high winds, and closing schools and businesses.

The East Coast saw rain, thundershowers and high winds late Friday, with damaging gusts up to 55 mph expected as the cold front passed.

Ameren Corp. reported about 520,000 customers without power in Illinois and Missouri on Friday after ice and snow blanketed much of the state, snapping power lines and tree limbs. Ron Zdellar, Ameren vice president, said it would be days before all customers had electricity again.

“We know a lot of people are going to have to leave their homes, probably over the next few days,” he said.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt declared a state of emergency and deployed National Guard members to help people in need. More than 200 were to be in the St. Louis area by this morning, and 500 others were available if needed around the state. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declared a disaster emergency for 27 counties.

Shelters and warm-up centers opened in the St. Louis area, with temperatures expected to drop into the teens.

Two St. Louis police officers escorted 89-year-old Francis Oldani on Friday afternoon to a warming center, where volunteers offered lunch and hot chocolate. Oldani said she lost power Thursday night and called police in desperation Friday morning.

“It was miserable; I was so cold,” Oldani said. “I just had to put on as many clothes as I could. I put a blanket around me and sat in a chair. I guess these people will provide for me. I really don’t know.”

Bridgett Kiefer shovels her driveway Friday in Hinsdale, Ill., during the first winter storm of the season. Nationwide, the storm left thousands without electricity and stranded airline passengers.

The fire chief in the St. Louis suburb of Affton said an 87-year-old woman died early Friday in a house fire that started after an ice-laden tree limb fell on a power line, causing the fuse box in her basement to short-circuit.

In Chicago, where snow covered street signs and commuters walked gingerly along slushy streets, forecasters warned residents to be careful digging out of what they called “heart attack snow” – difficult to shovel because it is so heavy.

A man older than 60 died after shoveling snow in Racine, Wis., which got up to got 14.5 inches, officials said. And in Fond du Lac, a 70-year-old man died after shoveling.

Chicago received 6.2 inches, and many areas of Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri got more than a foot.

As the storm moved east, strong showers and gusty winds caused even more people to lose power. In Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, more than 100,000 customers lost power at some point during the day, though many had power restored. In Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, a total of at least 142,000 customers lost power at some point.

In New York, severe thunderstorms and high winds toppled trees and knocked out power to at least 65,500 customers outside the New York City area. One person died after a tree fell onto a house in Ellenville.

Near Paducah, Texas, a sport utility vehicle carrying a high school girls’ basketball team slid on an icy patch and tipped over, killing a 14-year-old player and injuring six teammates and the coach.