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.

Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple U.S. states spawned violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires over the weekend, leaving at least 39 people dead. In the latest tally of the destruction,

Investigators with the National Weather Service will spend today working to establish the intensity of tornadoes that hit the southern U.S. Unconfirmed twisters in Alabama hit northwest of Tuscaloosa and southeast of the state capitol of Montgomery.

At least two people died in Alabama as a wave of severe storms spawned tornadoes across Alabama throughout Saturday evening, causing power outages, downed trees and destroyed structures throughout the state.

When severe weather tore through central Alabama on Saturday night, residents in Calera were told to take cover after a tornado was spotted in the area.