At least 12 fatalities have been reported in Missouri, according to the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency. The deaths come as a massive storm system moving across the country unleashed winds that damaged buildings, whipped up deadly dust storms and fanned more than 100 wildfires.

The most fatalities were in Missouri. Forecasters warned that tornadoes, hail and violent winds continue to threaten states in the Deep South, from Louisiana to Georgia.

The National Weather Service issued tornado watches for more than 2 million people on Saturday. An "outbreak" of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms is expected through Saturday night in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, western Georgia, southern Tennessee, the Florida Panhandle and southern Arkansas.

A powerful spring storm is rapidly approaching central Illinois with several counties already under a tornado watch.

At 5:58 p.m. on Saturday, the NWS Morristown TN issued a tornado watch in effect until Sunday at 1 a.m. for Cherokee County.

Significant weather will work its way through metro Atlanta and north Georgia Saturday night into Sunday morning. Western Georgia is expected to see the highest tornado threat and many areas are in a 4 out 5 risk.