Tornadoes tear through Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Tennessee

A particularly dangerous tornado watch is in effect for northwestern Alabama, northern Mississippi and western and middle Tennessee until 1 a.m. CDT, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The tornadoes that develop could have EF-2 or higher intensity, with destructive winds over 111 mph, according to the center. Additionally, these storms will contain wind gusts to 80 mph along with hail close to baseball size.

Cities in the watch include Nashville, Tennessee, and Tupelo, Mississippi.

Aerial footage shows significant damage to Wynne, Arkansas, Friday, March 31.

A line of severe weather that moved through Wynne, Arkansas, caused severe damage, mayor Jennifer Hobbs said Friday evening.

The apparent tornado cut a stark line of destruction through the city of about 8,300 people, according to Hobbs. “The town is basically cut in half by damage from east to west,” the mayor told CNN.

Officials are working to determine the total amount of damage and potential injuries, Hobbs said.

“We are still in triage mode,” she added.

A tornado emergency has been declared by the National Weather Service for a large, confirmed and destructive tornado over Covington, Tennessee.

This storm is 40 miles northeast of Memphis and moving northeast at 40 mph.

This is the same tornado that moved through Wynne, Arkansas, and crossed the Mississippi River north of Memphis.

People are trapped in homes in Wynne, Arkansas, with “significant damage” in the area, Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) spokesperson Rebekah Magnus told CNN.

ADEM does not have exact numbers of those injured in the state as local emergency coordinators are still responding to damage from the severe weather, Magnus said.

First responders are assessing the area of Wynne and offering aid to those trapped, according to ADEM. Shelters are being opened in the area to assist as well.

Two confirmed tornados touched down in Arkansas Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. 

A possible tornado was seen Friday evening passing past a local TV station’s stationary camera in Solon, Iowa. Sheets of rain could be seen as the skies darkened, and the camera from CNN affiliate KCRG suddenly began shaking violently.

“That’s not us moving the camera,” KCRG chief meteorologist Joe Winters advised viewers.

Debris flew past the camera.

“That would affect our roof. Our roof just got lifted off,” Winters said, referring to the building where their camera is mounted. Seconds later, roofing from a building across the street from the camera could be seen lifted into the air.

“That’s how quick it happens,” Winters said. “That’s why when warnings are issued, you need to take them seriously and get into a safe place immediately.”

Residents mill about after severe storm swept through Little Rock, Arkansas, Friday, March 31.

Baptist Health Medical Center has received 21 patients, five in critical condition, with injuries sustained from the tornado that hit the Little Rock area, hospital spokesperson Cara Wade told CNN.

Two confirmed tornados touched down in Arkansas Friday afternoon, including one in Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located, according to the National Weather Service. 

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson delivers the State of the State address on January 18, in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has activated the state emergency operations plan and the Missouri National Guard as a result of severe weather headed towards the area.

“As areas across the state are already beginning to be impacted by severe weather, we want to ensure all necessary state resources are available if extreme disruptions and damage were to affect our communities,” Parson said.

The executive order will expire on April 30, unless terminated or extended, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

A reported tornado near Ottumwa, Iowa, Friday afternoon caused structural damage but no known injuries, local emergency management officials say.

“I have reports of damage to three structures so far,” said Wapello County Emergency Management Director Tim Richmond.

The local sheriff’s office is completing an initial sweep of the area and has not reported injuries so far, according to Richmond. “EMA damage assessment teams will deploy most likely in the morning,” he said.

A homs is damaged and trees are down after a tornado swept through Little Rock, Arkansas, Friday, March 31.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency in Arkansas Friday due to severe storms and confirmed tornado touchdowns, including one near Little Rock.

“We will spare no resource to assist with response and recovery efforts for Arkansans impacted,” Sanders said on Twitter.

The National Weather Service confirmed two tornado touchdowns in Arkansas on Friday afternoon, including one in Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located. Three areas of the city have sustained damage as a result of the tornado that hit the region, according to Aaron Sadler, a spokesperson for Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. 

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received one patient as a result of severe weather and a tornado landing in the area, UAMS spokesperson Andrea Peel told CNN.

The medical center is currently operating on a mass casualty level 1, which is a standby status, Peel said. “We have not yet seen an influx of patients,” she added.

UAMS is the only adult level trauma center in Little Rock, according to Peel.

UAMS was previously operating at a level 3, which calls for all hands on deck, as a precautionary measure to the incoming weather, Peel said.

“Once we realized we had plenty of personnel we lowered the level,” she added.

The medical center expects to see more patients roll in when emergency vehicles make their way back to them, according to Peel.

A line of storms that threatened tornadoes in northern Illinois Friday afternoon spawned large and damaging hail, including baseball-sized hail that struck a rural roadway in Banner, according to the Fulton County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency.

Four vehicles were so severely damaged by hail they had to be towed away and the roadway was temporarily closed, agency director Chris Helle told CNN. Photos from the agency showed windshields completely shattered and a hood covered with dents.

Banner is about 25 miles southwest of Peoria, where storm spotters reported Ping Pong ball-sized hail.

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr has requested the assistance of the National Guard following a tornado touchdown in his community Friday.

“I have been in contact with Gov. @SarahHuckabee Sanders to request National Guard assistance with our response to the tornado emergency. Again, please stay away from the affected areas to allow emergency responders access,” Scott said on Twitter.

Earlier: The National Weather Service confirmed two tornado touchdowns in Arkansas on Friday afternoon, including one in Pulaski County where Little Rock is located. Three areas of the city have sustained damage as a result of the tornado that hit the region, according to Aaron Sadler, a spokesperson with Scott’s office. 

There is a “high probability” that there are multiple injuries due to a tornado that passed through Pulaski County, an Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) spokesperson told CNN.

ADEM is still gathering information and does not have a specific number of those injured.

“There is widespread damage in the area,” ADEM spokesperson LaTresha Woodruff said.

CNN has reached out to Little Rock’s Emergency Management Division for comment.

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock was forced to pause operations for approximately 45 minutes due to severe weather, following a tornado touchdown in Pulaski County, Arkansas, according to Shane Carter, director of Public Affairs & Governmental Relations for the airport.

The airport did not sustain damage and has since resumed operations, Carter said.

Emergency management teams are currently assessing the damage following a tornado touchdown in Pulaski County, Arkansas, Pulaski County spokesperson Madeline Roberts told CNN.

The city has multiple reports of downed trees and other damages in the area, Roberts said.

The National Weather Service said a second confirmed tornado touched down in Garland County.

No injuries or structural damages have been reported in Garland County, Garland County Emergency Management Deputy Director Bob King told CNN.

A firefighter walks by a damaged fire station due to a storm in Little Rock on Friday.

Pictures taken in Little Rock by a local resident show storm damage to Little Rock Fire Station 9 after a possible tornado came through the area. 

The fire station appears to have sustained damage to its roof and has multiple smashed windows. Debris, which includes sheets of twisted metal, is scattered around the area. Broken branches and uprooted trees can also be seen in the photos. 

Storm damage is seen in Little Rock on Friday.

CNN has reached out to the Little Rock Fire Department and has not received a response.

Earlier: The National Weather Service confirmed two tornado touchdowns in Arkansas on Friday afternoon, including one in Pulaski County where the city of Little Rock is located. Three areas of Little Rock have sustained damage as a result of the tornado that hit the region according to Aaron Sadler, a spokesperson with Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s office. 

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says there is “significant damage” to the area of central Arkansas as a result of Friday afternoon’s tornado.

“Arkansans must continue to stay weather aware as storms are continuing to move through,” Huckabee Sanders said in a tweet.

State police and the emergency management teams are working with local authorities to assist injured residents, the governor said.

“Praying for all those who were and remain in the path of this storm,” she added.

Storm damage is seen in Little Rock on Friday.

The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornado touchdowns in Arkansas on Friday afternoon. 

The touchdowns took place in Pulaski County and Garland County, according to forecaster Travis Shelton. 

Pulaski County includes the city of Little Rock. Garland County sits about 70 miles outside of Little Rock.

The area is under a rare Level 5 out of 5 threat for severe weather.

A storm is seen over Little Rock, Arkansas, on Friday, March 31.

The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touchdown in metro Little Rock and its suburban areas. 

The agency has gotten multiple reports of injuries and damage to infrastructure, according to meteorologist Colby Pope. 

Three areas of Little Rock have sustained damage as a result of the tornado that hit the region, Aaron Sadler, a spokesperson with Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s office, told CNN.

The governor’s office is asking people to stay away from the areas of Shackleford, Rodney Parham and Breckenridge to “allow emergency responders to do their work.”

Damage assessment is currently underway in those areas.

Over 50,000 customers are without power in Pulaski County in Arkansas, as a confirmed tornado west of Little Rock is expected to pass just north of downtown.

According to PowerOutage.us, 53,714 customers are without power.

A tornado emergency was declared in the last hour, and the National Weather Service located in North Little Rock evacuated to a tornado shelter. The NWS office in Memphis is taking over issuing warnings.

A new tornado watch is now in effect for northern Illinois, northwest Indiana, southern Wisconsin and Lake Michigan until 10 p.m. CT (11 p.m. ET), according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Storms developing this afternoon and evening are expected to produce a couple of intense tornadoes, damaging wind gusts to 70 mph and hail as large as golf balls.

Cities in the watch include Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee and Rockford.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather headed for his state.

“This is the worst forecast that I’ve seen as Governor,” Beshear said in a statement. “I am declaring a state of emergency so that we can be prepared.”

Forecasters warned of enhanced risk for severe storms, Level 3 of 5, in areas of the state including Louisville. The main threats are isolated long-track tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail.

Kentuckians are expected to be sheltered by 5 p.m. local time (6 p.m. ET).

The governor also advised for all state office buildings to close by 3 p.m. CST on Friday.

Elsewhere Friday, a rare Level 5 out of 5 alert has been issued for parts of the Midwest and South, impacting nearly 3 million people Friday evening.

A rare “high risk” Level 5 out of 5 alert has been issued Friday for parts of the Midwest and Mid-South, impacting nearly 3 million people, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.

High-risk areas include two main regions:

Additionally, severe storms are expected to sweep across some central and southern states beginning Friday afternoon, bringing the threat of several strong tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds to nearly 90 million people across 21 states.

Tornado watches have been issued for 15 million people, stretching from southern Arkansas to northern Iowa until 8 p.m CT (9 p.m. ET) and parts of northeast Texas, northwest Louisiana and far southern Oklahoma until 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m ET). Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tyler, Texas, are included in the tornado watch.

These tornado watches have been labeled a “particularly dangerous situation” by the Storm Prediction Center.

The prediction center warns of a couple of tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph.