After a severe weather outbreak Tuesday in the Great Plains that pounded several areas with damaging winds and large hail larger than softballs, the storm system will progress east, putting those living along and near the Mississippi River at risk for severe weather Wednesday.
Those on the northern end of the risk area, such as Iowa, Illinois, Missouri (including St. Louis), western Kentucky and western Tennessee (including Memphis) will have storms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds, and possibly a couple of tornadoes Wednesday afternoon into the evening hours. Farther south into Mississippi and northwest Arkansas, the primary threat from storms will be destructive straight line winds. Portions of western Louisiana already saw storms Wednesday morning that produced gusts in excess of 70 mph, and those storms are moving east.