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.

Large and destructive tornadoes are carving paths of destruction across the South for the second day in a row.

Three people were killed in Missouri as a series of tornadoes hit the U.S. Midwest and southeast overnight, raking a path of destruction that was still being assessed early on Saturday, police said.