Texas May See Tornadoes to the East, More Wildfires in West

DALLAS (AP) — The National Weather Service is warning of tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds for eastern portions of Texas as emergency crews in the western part of the state battle wildfires amid forecasts of extreme fire danger.

The NWS predicts severe weather beginning Friday afternoon for an area extending from eastern Texas up through the Midwest and into Michigan.

The storm system will drive down temperatures for the start of the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Texas A&M Forest Service says an extreme fire danger exists Friday for much of West Texas. The agency says several wildfires have been reported in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

High winds are kicking up clouds of dust and hampering firefighting efforts.

An evacuation had been ordered at one point Thursday in Hutchinson County in the Texas Panhandle.