It's been a siege of severe weather this week, and while the worst is over, a few more severe storms could impact the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic into early Sunday.

The threat for tornadoes is located over eastern Iowa, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin through mid-evening. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch in Illinois and Missouri thru 11pm CDT. That includes Chicago, St. Louis, Columbia and Springfield.

An active, stormy April weather pattern is in full-swing, and the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted parts of the U.S. Great Plains for a level 4/5 (Moderate) severe risk for Friday. —

A new severe storm outbreak with potential intense tornadoes is set to slam the central US Friday, hitting areas already battered by a multi-day onslaught of twisters, massive

However, the cold front will quickly overtake storms, causing them all to merge into a windy squall line. Tornado and hail risk will decrease, though a few spin-up tornadoes are still possible. Instead, widespread 60 to 75 mph wind gusts will accompany the squall.

Multiple tornadoes tore through Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin on Friday, leaving heavy damage in Lena, Illinois, and forcing evacuations in Rochester and Marion, Minnesota.

Minnesota will be interesting because temperatures will warm into the 60s and 70s, while dew points rise into the 50s and 60s. That’ll set the stage for more than enough energy, which is known as CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). If storms fire, they’ll have enough juice to get a little rambunctious.

Today is a First Alert Day as we face the threat of a severe weather outbreak this afternoon associated with an approaching cold front. High temperatures will be in the low 70s around noon, before temperatures fall to the 40s and 50s in the afternoon.

Image Credit: JustWeather