A cross-country storm is strengthening as it moves over the central United States Friday and pounding the region with damaging hurricane-force wind gusts, creating a blinding dust storm and fanning flames amid a “catastrophic” fire risk.

A sprawling storm system crossing the U.S. overturns semitrucks on highways and fans wildfires in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Tornadoes might hit the South.

A sprawling storm system crossing the U.S. on Friday overturned semitrucks on highways and fanned wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma, where officials called for ev

A powerful storm system that unleashed severe weather for millions of Americans from coast to coast this week is now taking aim at the nation’s midsection, bringing blizzard conditions to the northern Plains, thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes to the Midwest and South and an elevated risk of wildfires to the southern Plains.

The National Weather Service predicted extreme weather across a vast swath of the country with a population exceeding 100 million people.