Over the past 24 hours, more than 40 reported tornadoes have swept across eight states in the Midwest and South -- and the dangerous severe weather threat continues. The eight states with reported tornadoes in the past day are Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.

A powerful storm system that has been sweeping across the central and eastern U.S. has produced violent tornadoes, a dust storm, raging wildfires and even blizzard conditions, tragically leaving more than 30 people dead in its path.

By Rich McKay ATLANTA (Reuters) -At least 14 people were killed in Arkansas and Missouri as a series of tornadoes hit the U.S. Midwest and Southeast overnight, raking a path of destruction that was still being assessed on Saturday,