Forecasters warn severe storms, hail and high winds

As a punishing heat wave took hold of Texas, weather forecasters warned that severe storms with hail and even hurricane-force winds could hobble parts of Appalachia and the Midwest on Friday. Tornadoes were also a risk. The National Weather Service said severe weather was likely across parts of the central Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic states. Residents in Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, parts of Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio should brace for intense storms that could include baseball-sized hail. The weather service's Storm Prediction Center said that "strong, potentially long-track tornadoes and very large hail" could be expected. The threat for damaging winds in excess of 75 mph will increase into this evening as storms grow into larger clusters. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, in a post on the social media platform X, put residents on notice. "Kentucky, there is a dangerous weather system moving through our state with a significant round this afternoon through tonight. Strong winds, hail, flooding and tornadoes are possible starting at 2 p.m. CT in Western Kentucky and reaching Louisville around 5 p.m. ET," he said. Shelters were opening in the Paducah, Kentucky, area. Faith Borden, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service Nashville office, said Friday that middle Tennessee could expect "all types of severe weather. Winds up to 70 mph. We're talking seriously large hail up to 3 inches, which for us is big hail." The warnings came a day after high winds pummeled parts of the Midwest, including tornadoes that touched down in Wisconsin. Texas, meanwhile, faced searing heat. A heat advisory was issued for the San Antonio and Austin, with temperatures at a blistering 95 F to 105. Parts of the southern East Coast, from Virginia to Florida, battled with heat in the 90s. The National Weather Service Office for Austin/San Antonio said Friday the humidity coming in over the weekend is expected to make temperatures hotter. "There are concerns of heat exhaustion for people that aren't taking proper precautions when they're outdoors," meteorologist Jason Runyen said. He advised those affected to take breaks and stay hydrated. Overnight Thursday, storms accompanied by booming thunder, lightning displays and powerful winds swept through parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, northern Indiana and Michigan — leaving scores of trees down and thousands of homes without power. Several tornadoes touched down Thursday in central Wisconsin. None of the twisters have received ratings yet, said Timm Uhlmann, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Green Bay. "We're still gathering reports," Uhlmann said. "We're assessing some of the damage and still getting video and pictures. The damage that we have is fairly widespread. There was a lot of large hail. In Eau Claire was one report of softball-sized hail." No injuries have been reported. Surveys also were underway Friday of damage in Michigan to determine if any tornadoes touched down there, according to Steven Freitag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, northwest of Detroit. The storms were fueled by temperatures in the lower 80s that stretched from Illinois into Michigan and were activated by a cold front that pushed through, Freitag said. By midday Friday, about 230,000 customers were without power in Michigan. Some 60,000 were without power in Indiana. Another 27,000 in total had no electricity in Illinois and Kentucky. The threat of severe weather in Chicago delayed a Beyonce concert by about two hours Thursday at Soldier Field.