US Weather: Storm systems expected to affect 100 million across the South and Midwest

100 million people throughout the US were expected to be hit with severe weather on Thursday night and Friday.

The National Weather Service observed at least one tornado in Mississippi on Thursday.

A tweet sent on Thursday afternoon warned that “severe storms capable of producing several tornadoes (a few strong) and widespread damaging winds” will move through Louisiana and Mississippi towards lower Alabama and the Florida Panhandle this evening and overnight.

CNN reports that the storm system will then fan out to the Ohio Valley and East Coast, hence affecting a particularly large number of people.

According to the National Weather Service, damaging wind gusts and possible hail storms are also expected.

The Gulf Coast has already been hit with severe weather this year, including a batch of tornadoes through Mississippi just last week, and a string of tornadoes in Alabama that killed 23 last month.