Americans across five states are under severe thunderstorm warnings as residents are urged to immediately seek shelter. In three of those states Virginia, Ohio and Indiana, the National Weather Service (NWS) advises people to shelter in an interior room on the ground floor of a property.

There is a potential for strong and severe storms as we head through this evening, and parts of north Georgia are under a severe thunderstorm watch until midnight. The greatest risk is for much of the eastern half of north Georgia, but there is a threat for the rest of us as well.

Scattered severe storms popped off in Northern Illinois Tuesday evening. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for parts of La Salle and Livingston counties until 7 p.m. The storm system involved wind speeds of 60 mph and penny-sized hail.