The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of metro New Orleans — specifically the River Parishes and the northshore — through 6 p.m. Saturday. The weather service said numerous strong tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts of up to 75 mph are expected as a storm system moves through the area this afternoon.

Western Georgia is expected to see the highest tornado threat and many areas are in a 4 out 5 risk. All of metro Atlanta and north Georgia are under a tornado watch until 4 a.m. >

As many as 150 million people in the U.S. face a potential severe weather outbreak in the coming days. Storms will likely reach the Tampa Bay area late Sunday, bringing a marginal risk of severe weather to part of the region.

A dangerous tornado outbreak which started on Friday evening continued into the first half of the weekend with nearly 2 dozen deaths across the nation's heartland and South.