A deadly tornado outbreak ripped through Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Mississippi overnight Friday, leaving destruction, power outages and tragic loss in its wake.

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

A deadly tornado outbreak ripped through the Midwest and South over the weekend, leaving destruction, power outages and tragic loss in its wake.

After deadly storms scourged the Heartland, volunteers are gathering from across the area to help with relief and recovery efforts.

Numerous significant tornadoes are expected Saturday afternoon and evening, with the highest risk across several states in the Deep South, forecasters say.

Residents are surveying damage from unusually vicious weather in multiple U.S. states where violent twisters, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires decimated entire neighborhoods.

"Get to the sturdiest structure you have access to and remain in place until the storms pass," the NWS told residents in Alabama on Saturday night, when multiple tornado warnings were issued. At least 250,