A round of fast-moving severe thunderstorms plowed through the Chicago area Sunday afternoon, producing hurricane-force winds and prompting tornado warnings in parts of Northwest Indiana. A tornado watch was issued throughout most the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana for much of the afternoon.

The Tornado Watch is in effect until 9 p.m. for dozens of Illinois counties such as Grundy, Kendall, Kankakee, La Salle and Will. Indiana counties that are under the watch include Newton, Benton, Warren and Tippecanoe, among others.

A severe weather outbreak is taking shape across the central and eastern United States, setting the stage for a weekend of thunderstorms, hail and potential tornadoes. Widespread storms are expected to sweep through a region stretching from Texas to Michigan on Sunday.

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Worst part of the storm should hit Middle Tennessee after 10 p.m. Sunday with winds, rain and chance of tornadoes

The weather service issued a "take cover" alert and instructed those in the path of the tornado to head to a basement or interior room of a house on the lowest floor.

EDT the National Weather Service released a tornado warning in effect until 5:30 p.m. EDT for Branch County. “At 5:06 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Albion,

About one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch of rain were forecast at lower elevations Monday, but mountain areas could exceed half an inch, according to the National Weather Service.

A tornado warning was issued in northwest Indiana and most Chicago-area counties saw severe thunderstorm warnings on an eventful Sunday afternoon.

Tornadoes, hail the size of ping-pong balls and 70 mph winds could hit the Chicago area Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service warns. A tornado watch was in effect till 7 p.m. for Chicago, the surrounding south and west suburbs and northwest Indiana.

Sunday and Wednesday could feature severe weather outbreaks across the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, while Monday could bring storms to the Deep South and East Coast.