A tornado watch has been issued until 11 p.m. Friday for Cook County and most of northern Illinois. Strong storms are expected to hit the Chicago area between 8 p.m. and midnight, the National Weather Service said.

Thousands of people were in the path of a dangerous storm that moved through North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon.

A line of heavy thunderstorms swept across the D.C. region Wednesday evening, unleashing torrential rains that flooded streets and violent wind gusts that toppled trees. The storms produced spectacular skies — including menacing clouds on approach and vivid rainbows upon exiting.

Sand and dust storms affect about 330 million people in over 150 countries and are taking an increasing toll on health, economies and the environment.

The weather service forecasts a high-humidity environment with scattered thunderstorms developing Sunday afternoon and evening. Slow-moving storm cells could produce localized rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 4 inches of rain.

A tornado siren blared in Iowa this afternoon as a funnel cloud could be seen in the backdrop of the famed speedway outside Des Moines. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa reports on the severe weather threats facing millions in the Midwest tonight.

Michigan residents should prepare for a potentially stormy Saturday with a high risk of severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall across multiple regions of the state.

The threat of heavy rain is “slight” for this weekend, but with the ground fully saturated in Kerr County even small amounts of rainfall could cause flooding.

Forecasters warn that slow-moving storms could bring heavy downpours to already saturated areas, increasing the risk of flash flooding.

Severe thunderstorms will head east by Saturday, impacting eastern Michigan and parts of northern Indiana. Rain from 1 to 2 inches is possible as the system tracks east, but some areas could see isolated amounts of 3 to 5 inches through the weekend.

Millions of Americans across several states are facing the risk of severe storms on Thursday, according to forecasters. Meteorologists say the potential hazards posed by the storms include heavy rain,