A deadly tornado outbreak ripped through Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Mississippi overnight Friday, leaving destruction, power outages and tragic loss in its wake.

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.

After deadly storms scourged the Heartland, volunteers are gathering from across the area to help with relief and recovery efforts.

The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornados so far from Friday’s severe weather. According to NWS, the three tornados were: From Villa Ridge to Fox Creek (EF 2) From near More Mill to just south of Arnold (EF 2) From north of Bourbon to just south of Union (EF 1) The NWS says the EF-2 tornado that developed near Village Creek moved over 13 miles northeast with maximum estimated winds of 130 mph.

In north St. Louis County, neighbors are leaning on each other as they begin cleaning up damage from Friday night's severe storms.

Violent tornadoes ripped through parts of the U.S., wiping out schools and toppling semitractor-trailers in several states.

The heaviest fatalities so far were in Missouri, which was lashed by twisters overnight The threat of violent tornadoes in parts of the US proved deadly as well as destructive as whipping winds moved east into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Saturday,

More than 20 twisters reportedly struck the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Mississippi. "Today there is a high risk for more tornadoes across Alabama and Mississippi. Tornadoes also hit Illinois,