The weather cut a swathe of destruction across an area of the country that is home to more than 100 million people.

The dynamic storm from Friday through Sunday had earned an unusual “high risk” designation from weather forecasters.

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

"The scale of devastation across our state is staggering," Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said. "While we grieve the lives of those lost, we are also focused on action."

Several states throughout the Midwest and South reported tornadoes overnight, with widespread damage and multiple fatalities reported in Missouri. KSDK's Megan Kernan and Travis Cummings report on the latest damage.