Tornado-warned storm races through St. Louis as severe weather threatens millions

Severe storms take aim for Kentucky this afternoon

Severe thunderstorms are headed for Louisville, Kentucky, today, and residents are getting ready. FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne is on the ground telling you what to look out for ahead of the bad weather.

PADUCAH, Ky. – Another significant severe weather outbreak unfolded across much of the eastern third of the nation on Friday, with more than 146 million people on alert.

This comes following a turbulent Thursday that saw more than a dozen tornado reports, more than 135 damaging wind incidents and more than 90 reports of large hail across the Upper Midwest.

On Friday afternoon, nearly a million people in the St. Louis metro area were placed under a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Tornado Warning as a powerful thunderstorm moved through.

Trees and power lines were reported down across the metro, with more than 50,000 customers in the dark due to the severe weather.

Most of the damage was concentrated on the western and northern sides of St. Louis, which could be indicative of a twister's track.

LIVE STORM TRACKER: SEVERE WEATHER MAPS, RADAR, HAIL POTENTIAL, TORNADO THREATS, AND MORE

In addition to the tornado threat, large hail was also seen across the region.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency said destructive 2-3" hail stones were observed.

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Severe storms Friday morning in Pennsylvania led to a large tree falling on an Exeter Township home Friday, causing moderate damage and injuries to an adult and a child inside, according to fire officials.

In Kentucky, a storm in London caused significant damage to the roof of a business. No injuries were reported.

Roof damage as severe storm system hits Kentucky

A business in London, Kentucky, experienced roof damage as a severe storm system swept through the area on Friday.

‘High-end’ tornadoes possible Friday

The most significant concern for Friday lies in the afternoon and evening hours, where NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 4 out of 5 risk of severe weather, particularly for southern Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. 

Tornado Watches stretched from Oklahoma through much of Indiana and Kentucky through Friday evening.

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Severe storm threat continues through early next week

If storms can maintain their strength overnight, they could impact parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Saturday. Damaging wind gusts look to be the largest threat, the FOX Forecast Center said.

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Another wave of severe weather will move across the central U.S. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted the potential of severe weather in several areas of the country through early next week.

"This is a classic severe weather setup for the Central Plains," Merwin said. "You have all of that moisture streaming in from the Gulf, the cooler, drier air off the Rockies, and then you get that classic clash zone."

This graphic shows a severe weather threat starting on Sunday, May 18.

(FOX Weather)