There's also an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across the Deep South and the Tennessee Valley. On May 21, the risk will shift into the Ohio Valley and East Coast. Through mid-week, storms could include strong tornadoes,

Tornadoes ripped through St. Louis, Marion, Illinois, and London, Kentucky, over the weekend, leaving more than two dozen people dead. On Monday night, more tornadoes struck Oklahoma and Nebraska. The storms have left tens of thousands without power in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee.

A large area of severe thunderstorms is forecast into Tuesday night and will overlap areas in the Ohio, Tennessee and middle Mississippi valleys that were hit by deadly and damaging storms, forecasters say.

Tornadoes and flooding will be among the hazards that threaten more than a dozen states as a new outbreak of severe weather looms early in the week.

Severe storms are anticipated in the central US, following deadly tornadoes in Kentucky. The National Weather Service warns of diverse weather hazards, including thunderstorms, large hail, and intense heat.

At least 9 people are dead in Kentucky, 7 in Missouri and 2 in Virginia as an outbreak of severe weather takes hold of the country from the Heartland to the East Coast.

A busy stretch of severe thunderstorms is underway due to record heat and now the threats are ramping up, putting major metro areas from Chicago to Nashville under threat as the country hits the peak of tornado season.

Tuesday features another heightened risk of severe storms in the Midwest and South, but then a much-needed break from widespread severe weather will arrive for the second half of the week.