The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings early Saturday for areas in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and Texas.

A cross-country storm is strengthening as it moves over the central United States Friday and pounding the region with damaging hurricane-force wind gusts that are creating a blinding dust storm and fanning flames amid a “catastrophic” fire risk.

High winds are whipping up wildfires in Texas on Friday as a roiling low pressure system moves east and threatens to land powerful tornadoes in the Plains and beyond.

There is the potential for severe weather across the southeastern parts of the United States over the next several days, including Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. On Sunday, that severe weather threat extends into north and central Florida.