CENTRAL U.S. - Portions of the Central United States are in for a downpour this week.

Rain, thunderstorms, and an increased risk of tornadoes have been forecasted for the region on Wednesday and into Thursday, ranging from farming communities to major metropolitan areas.

Hail, violent wind gusts, and tornadoes pose the most cause for concern.  

“Wednesday is part of a multiple-day severe weather outbreak that will continue to progress eastward into the end of the week,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity. “The outbreak will include hundreds of incidents of damage from wind and hail, as well as perhaps a number of dangerous tornadoes.”  

AccuWeather reports that the thunderstorms will extend northward from central Oklahoma to the eastern half of Kansas and the northwestern half of Missouri and includes part of southern Iowa and central Texas. The greatest risk for tornadoes range from eastern Kansas, northern and western Missouri, and west-central Illinois to central and northeastern Oklahoma.

Following the brunt of the storm on Wednesday, the severe weather outbreak may transition more to a wind damage threat on Thursday, though “large hail and a few tornadoes will still be possible,” said Alex Avalos, AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions Meterologist.

Current forecasts suggest the risk of severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes, will continue on Thursday and will stretch from southern Wisconsin and southwestern Michigan to northeastern Texas.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for any continuing coverage on this storm as it progresses.