Storms packing rain, snow and dangerous winds have raked the Midwest, spawning a possible tornado outside of St. Louis that prompted an emergency declaration from Missouri's governor.
To the north icy weather left thousands without power and prompted Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton to call out the state National Guard to aid residents as the state braced for another storm system that threatened to dump several inches of wet snow Thursday.
The most violent weather was centered near the St. Louis suburb of Hazelwood late Wednesday night. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported early Thursday that homes and vehicles were damaged in the area. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
National Weather Service officials said crews would be out Thursday to assess whether a tornado had struck.
