Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner declared two counties disaster areas after tornadoes left two dead, dozens injured, and numerous homes in ruins Thursday evening.
"We hope and pray that is all the fatalities we've got...We believe now we know the extent of this terrible loss. Frankly we're very blessed more people were not hurt," Rauner said at a news conference. "This was a devastating storm."
Fairdale, a small town about 80 miles north of Chicago, suffered the brunt of the impact with all 71 of its buildings sustaining damage. The two casualties - Geraldine Schultz, 67, and Jacklyn K. Klosa, 69 - lived near each other and were each found in their homes.
Nearly 900 flights were canceled as sever storm warnings were issued across the Chicago area. The National Weather Service placed the entire state under similar warnings, predicting that large hail and high winds would be prevalent throughout the Midwest.
Deemed "enhanced risk" areas, the NWS's message ranged from Michigan all down to Louisiana. Twisters touched down in Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansa, and Missouri. The latter two saw golf-sized hail fall throughout the week.
Forecasters warn rain-wrapped weather that hampered central U.S. cities is making its way to the East Coast.
"We don't expect discrete supercell thunderstorms, which would be capable of producing strong tornadoes, but a squall line can bring a sudden downpour and strong gusty winds as it moves through," said Accuweather.com meteorologist Becky Elliott.
Elliott added that the tornado threat is low, but storms could produce hail and winds reaching 55 mph.
The NWS issued a "Hazardous Weather Outlook" warning for Pennsylvania and New Jersey, noting that severe thunderstorms and blusterous mph winds could hit the region Friday.
Storms will roll through major metro areas and potentially cause travel disruptions. Harder hit cities include Norfolk, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; and Macon, Georgia. Heavy storms ranging from northern Virginia to New England will last into Friday evening.
Sunshine will return to the northeast by Saturday morning. Temperatures are expected to reach the 50s across upstate New York and the 60s throughout much of the mid-Atlantic.