Storms on the Horizon: Eastern US Braces for Severe Weather

The eastern half of the United States is in for a rough time. A multi-day severe weather event is unfolding, with Friday being particularly dangerous. This isn't just about rain and thunder. Powerful tornadoes and hurricane-force winds are on the menu. The storm system that caused chaos in the Midwest and Great Lakes on Thursday is still at it, and it's not done yet. The National Weather Service has issued warnings. Nearly 9 million people from Missouri to Kentucky are in the hot zone. They're looking at a level 4 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms. This means extensive wind damage, large hail, and tornadoes are possible. The Storm Prediction Center is talking about strong tornadoes and even long-track, high-end tornadoes. That's some serious stuff. Friday's storms are expected to form in an "exceptionally volatile environment. "That's weather-speak for "things are going to get ugly. "We're talking about wind gusts stronger than 75 mph, starting in the early evening. Thursday's storms left nearly 400, 000 homes and businesses in the dark across multiple Midwest states. Wisconsin's Dodge County took a hit, with significant damage and at least one person injured. The storms from Thursday night are still hanging around, but they're expected to clear out quickly. This will give the atmosphere time to "refuel" for another round of storms in the afternoon. The Storm Prediction Center is warning about a regional outbreak of severe thunderstorms. More than 70 million people in the eastern half of the US are under at least a level 2 out of 5 threat of severe thunderstorms. The greatest risk is centered on parts of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. The storms are expected to fire up in parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois in the afternoon. They'll expand rapidly as they push east. Initial storms are the most likely to become supercells, capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and large hail. The wind threat will increase once storms form lines, with gusts stronger than 75 mph and damage possible over hundreds of miles. The danger doesn't stop after dark. Nighttime tornadoes are nearly twice as likely to be deadly as daytime ones. The storms are expected to leave a trail of damage. At least 11 tornadoes were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois on Thursday. Dodge County, Wisconsin, was hit hard, with significant damage and at least one person injured. The severe weather isn't over yet. It's expected to continue into the weekend and beyond. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast could see severe thunderstorms on Saturday. The Plains will be the main focus on Sunday and Monday, with damaging storms possible in much of Oklahoma and Kansas. The severe thunderstorm threat will then shift back into parts of the Mississippi Valley on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more details.