A series of severe thunderstorms packing high winds, hail and tornadoes will progress from the Great Lakes to the Ohio and Tennessee valleys through the end of the week, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

The strong tornado threat Thursday includes Chicago, Milwaukee and a big chunk of central Wisconsin. Evansville, Indiana, is at the heart of Friday’s tornado threat.

Violent storms and long-lived tornadoes could hit the central and eastern U.S. through the weekend, bringing widespread damage, power outages, and dangerous travel conditions.