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.

The dynamic storm was blamed for deadly dust storms in the nation's midsection, icy winter weather in northern parts of the country and severe thunderstorms.