Where The Severe Threat Ramps Up This Weekend

The threat of severe weather has increased for Friday in parts of the South and East, with destructive straight-line winds and large hail standing out as the main hazards.

-Area Of Concern: An "enhanced risk" severe weather outlook (level 3 out of 5) has been issued from Texas to the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, as shaded in red below. This is where severe storms could be most widespread and includes Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; Huntsville, Alabama; and Nashville, Tennessee.

-Threats: Damaging thunderstorm winds is the most likely impact, with downed trees or power outages possible. There is also a low-end tornado threat. Hail the size of golf balls or larger could also impact parts of central and eastern Texas, including Austin and San Antonio.

-Elsewhere: Other parts of the South, the Appalachians and interior Northeast could also see more isolated strong to severe storms, as shaded in orange. Spotty wind damage is the main threat.

(STAY SAFE: Tips On How To Take Action When Severe Weather Strikes)

-Latest Radar, Watches And Warnings: Storms are ongoing right now in the South and Ohio Valley. Below is a look at the latest radar and any watches and/or warnings in effect.

There have already been over 50 reports of large hail Friday from Ohio to north Georgia to Texas. Over a dozen reports of downed trees have also been received by the National Weather Service mainly in the Tennessee Valley, including on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville.