“On top of interrupting any outdoor activities, the thunderstorms could also cause trouble for travelers both on the ground and in the air.”

Eastern Arkansas and Missouri into northeastern Texas will be at risk for vicious thunderstorms this afternoon as a storm system pushes across the Plains. Tonight the storms will march eastward towards the central Mississippi Valley, striking a swath from far southern Illinois into central Texas.

Large hail and wind gusts in excess of 50 mph will be the main threats from these hit-or-miss thunderstorms. Torrential downpours could trigger flash flooding problems as well.

An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out from the strongest of storms, especially during the afternoon and evening hours.

Kansas City, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Dallas and San Antonio could have one of these storms rumble past through tonight. On top of interrupting any outdoor activities, the thunderstorms could also cause difficulties and delays for travelers both on the ground and in the air.

Powerful thunderstorms erupted over a similar area on Friday. As the day got under way, the storms pounded a zone from eastern Kansas to central Texas, advancing eastward towards the Mississippi Valley by the overnight hours.

These storms caused flash flooding problems, pelted some locations with hail as large as golf balls and slammed buildings with wind gusts well past 40 mph in parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. An EF-1 tornado struck to the south of Locust Grove, Okla., damaging buildings and snapping trees.

The remnants of this line of storms will press eastward early today, menacing cities and towns along the central Mississippi Valley, including St. Louis, Mo., Paducah, Ky., Jonesboro, Ar., and Monroe, La.

The biggest threat from these storms will be heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding, although some thunderstorms could still be able to muster up some destructive wind gusts and hail.