The National Weather Service said in its Thursday forecast outlook that strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible from Friday morning in north Alabama through late Friday central and west Alabama. Forecasters added that “the environment will be supportive of damaging winds, a few tornadoes and large hail.”

A severe thunderstorm warning issued by the National Weather Service in Norman on Thursday, Jan. 8, warns of high wind speeds and possible hail.

Ahead of the first cross-country system, a cold front delivered downpours across parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas Thursday morning before thunderstorms clustered together in a fast-moving line, producing a tornado that knocked out power to parts of Purcell, Oklahoma.

A pair of potent storms will sweep from Texas to the Great Lakes into this weekend, bringing flooding rain, severe thunderstorms and snow that may disrupt travel for well over 100 million in the central and eastern U.

An updated severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 3:32 p.m. in effect until 4 p.m. The warning is for Leavenworth, Clay, Platte, Atchison, Doniphan, Andrew and Buchanan counties.

A cold front will move through the ArkLaTex late Friday and Friday night. The front will trigger numerous thunderstorms, a few of which could be severe. Temperatures will tumble behind the front this weekend and stay chilly through next week.

Severe thunderstorms hit Oklahoma, prompting NWS warnings for high winds, hail, and possible flooding in several counties, with urged safety precautions for residents.

A radar-confirmed tornado ripped across Interstate 35 and part of Purcell, Oklahoma Thursday morning, knocking down power lines as a powerful line of thunderstorms barreled their way across the Southern Plains.

AccuWeather's Ariella Scalese explains the different severe weather risks and the impacts for each intensity level. Severe thunderstorms can produce wind speeds that can be as strong as a hurricane.