(CNN) ––
The Storm Prediction Center issued a tornado watch for nearly 12 million people in north-central and northeast Texas, eastern and southern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas.
The alert is in effect until 8 pm local time and includes the cities of Dallas, Waco and Tyler in Texas;
Tulsa in Oklahoma and Fort Smith and Fayetteville in Arkansas.
"Several tornadoes may occur in extreme southeastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas," the agency warned in its forecast on Friday.
He added that "one or two strong tornadoes may occur from late afternoon to evening."
Tornado threat mounts to southern US as west gets much-needed snow cover
All severe weather hazards are possible, as storms increase in coverage and intensity during the afternoon and evening hours this Friday.
Threats to the watch area include some tornadoes, as well as significant and damaging wind gusts up to 128 km/h.
In addition, large scattered hail is also possible according to the forecast center.
The clash between an early winter gust and record fall heat has produced a robust southern storm system that poses the biggest tornado threat the US has seen in more than five months.
In that sense, the Storm Prediction Center highlighted an area of "moderate risk" –– a level 4 out of 5–– of severe thunderstorms this Friday for eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, southwestern Arkansas and the northwestern louisiana.
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The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area remains at increased risk -- a level 3 of 4 -- for Friday.
"The most likely area for strong [EF2 or higher] tornadoes will be from extreme southeastern Oklahoma south to eastern Texas, east of the I-35 corridor," the agency said.
The main threat will shift from tornadoes on Friday afternoon and evening to damaging winds through the early hours as thunderstorms line up and spread into Arkansas and Louisiana.
As the storms move east, a major damaging widespread wind event is forecast Friday night in portions of the Ark-La-Tex region.
That is why the prediction center has updated the threat level for Friday.
"The storms will linger well into the night, moving across much of Louisiana and Arkansas, and into western Mississippi," the forecast center added.
A storm system will leave snow in all western states and a threat of tornadoes for the south
This storm system will move rapidly from west to east, minimizing the chance of flash flooding throughout the Ark-La-Tex region.
Farther north, 1 to 4 inches of rain is expected through Saturday across a wide area from Kansas to Wisconsin.
Rain is badly needed in this region, as recent drought has caused the Mississippi River to reach record low levels, affecting shipping and the supply chain.
In total, 42 million people from Texas to Wisconsin are at risk of severe storms this Friday.
Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Kansas City and Wichita are also included in the risk areas.
The last time the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area was at greater or greater risk was May 24.
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