A deadly tornado outbreak ripped through Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Mississippi overnight Friday, leaving destruction, power outages and tragic loss in its wake.

At least 19 people have died as an outbreak of tornadoes ravished through the South and Midwest early Saturday morning, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

Tornadoes hit the US Midwest and Southeast overnight, killing three in Missouri and causing widespread damage. Forecasters warn of a “high risk” threat for Mississippi and Alabama as storms intensify.

An "outbreak" of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms is expected through Saturday night in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and other southern states.

A line of severe thunderstorms, the first extreme weather event of the year, will hit the Chicago area around midnight Friday, according to the National Weather Service.