Tornadoes, hail, and flash flooding to hit 12 US states as more than 100 million at risk

A brutal bout of severe weather is set to make its way across 12 US states this weekend , putting more than 100 million people at risk. The multi-day weather event is set to see powerful storms creating a path of destruction from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast from Saturday to Monday as forecasters warn of tornadoes, damaging hail, high winds, and flash flooding. Around 20 million people will be at risk on Saturday, while at least 80 million residents and visitors could be in the path of severe weather in the central United States on Sunday and then in the East on Monday, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

On Saturday evening, severe weather will hit some of the largest population centers in the Great Plains, including Dallas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri; and Des Moines, Iowa. READ MORE: Priests' home destroyed by biblical lightning bolt and huge fire READ MORE: Huge US region set to become 60 percent underwater within decade, scientists warn Throughout the evening "all modes of severe weather" are expected, experts say. On Sunday, the severe threat will expand as it shifts east.



"The likelihood of some severe thunderstorms will extend from the Interstate 10 corridor in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida northward to I-96 in Michigan," AccuWeather warns. Meanwhile, "numerous severe thunderstorms" are anticipated over the middle portion of the Mississippi Valley and portions of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Sunday's severe weather is also set to bring the full spectrum, including damaging hail and tornadoes to powerful wind gusts and flash flooding.

"On Sunday, we are probably looking at a dozen or two tornadoes," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. On Monday, daytime heating on the eastern slopes of the Appalachians to the Atlantic coast and the northeast Gulf coast will give the storms a boost. The main weather threats will be damaging wind gusts and hail.

Disruptive downpours and localized flash flooding are also possible. The busy Interstate 81, 85, and 95 corridors from New Orleans to Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C.

, Philadelphia, and New York City will be affected by Monday's storms. Experts warn that airline passengers could face flight cancellations or "at the very least," delays as the storms approach airports. The severe weather threat doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon as another bout of possible tornadoes and flash flooding could hit the middle of the nation on Wednesday.

.