Wind gusts were forecast to top 50 mph in some areas. In Pico Rivera, a tornado with wind speeds reaching 85 mph traveled about a mile through a residential area of the city.

The storm, which forecasters said could produce tornadoes, is expected to strengthen Friday and move towards the central US.

The threat of tornadoes is moving east into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South a day after a massive storm system moving across the country unleashed winds that damaged buildings, whipped up dust storms that caused deadly crashes and fanned more than 100 wildfires in several central states.

A powerful low-pressure system is likely to spawn a dangerous outbreak of severe thunderstorms in portions of the Midwest, South and East, where tornadoes, widespread damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding are all concerns.