Severe weather alerts detail threats to about 65 million, likely over two days

Around 65 million people in the Midwest and South will be affected by severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and large hail Tuesday evening and Wednesday, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. 

The area from the eastern Plains into the Missouri and mid-Mississippi valleys are expected to be hit the hardest, especially in western Arkansas, eastern Iowa, southern Missouri and northwestern Illinois. 

The storms are associated with Tuesday blizzard warnings affecting 1.2 million people across some parts of the Plains and upper Midwest, Fox Weather reported Tuesday.

Severe storms hit the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois Tuesday and moved into the Chicago area Tuesday afternoon, according to Fox Weather reports. 

Overnight, storms will worsen through the Southern plains, and push further east into the Ohio Valley through the Tennessee and Mississippi valleys Wednesday, the Weather Channel predicted.

Baseball-sized hail, damaging winds and a few intense tornadoes will rock the region just days after over 50 tornadoes were reported in some of the same areas late last week, with a death toll of 32. 

President Joe Biden approved an expedited major disaster declaration after last week’s storms to provide resources and financial aid as the region recovers. 

“While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know families across America are mourning the loss of loved ones, desperately waiting for news of others fighting for their lives, and sorting through the rubble of their homes and businesses,” Biden said in a statement.