Violent tornado outbreak possible as major storm leaves millions on alert

(NEW YORK) — Millions in the Heartland are at risk from potentially violent, long-track tornadoes Friday as a major storm moves into the region.

Areas at risk of strong tornadoes include St. Louis; Davenport, Iowa; Peoria, Illinois; Paducah, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Tupelo, Mississippi.

Strong storms will begin to fire up around 3 p.m. in Iowa, Illinois and Arkansas. Then, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., strong, long-track tornadoes could develop from Iowa to Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.  

Among those at risk for tornadoes is an area that was hit by deadly storms last weekend. President Joe Biden is visiting one of those locations — Rolling Fork, Mississippi — on Friday.

Nearly two dozen people were killed in the storms.

In addition to tornadoes, damaging winds and huge hail are possible with these storms.

The expanse of this severe weather stretches from Lufkin, Texas, to Milwaukee and as far east as Nashville, Tennessee, and Cincinnati. Fifty-one million people are on alert for this severe weather outbreak.  

The storm system moves into the Northeast on Saturday with some severe weather possible for Pennsylvania and upstate New York and even northern New Jersey. Damaging winds will be the biggest threat for the Northeast.

There is a wintry part to this storm, with blizzard warnings issued for South Dakota and Minnesota, where more than half a foot of snow and 45 mph wind gusts are possible. Whiteout conditions are expected. A winter storm warning stretches from Nebraska to Minneapolis and into Wisconsin and Michigan, where more than a foot of snow is possible.

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