Photos: Severe weather outbreak damages dozens of homes across central US

One of the worst severe weather outbreaks so far this year battered the central United States on Friday.

Severe thunderstorms were widespread from eastern Texas through Iowa on Friday afternoon and Friday night.

The Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that a toddler died in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, when a large tree fell on a recreational vehicle at Hill Crest Mobile Home & RV Park. The girl was sleeping at around 12:30 a.m. when the tree struck and crushed the vehicle.

Mountainburg, Arkansas, was one of the towns hit by a possible tornado on Friday afternoon. Widespread wind damage and power outages unfolded across the area.

Local emergency management was activated and search and rescue was used for people that were trapped in damaged houses. Over 150 buildings were damaged and at least four people were injured in the town following the storm.

AccuWeather Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer tracked one of the more powerful storms that approached Dierks, Arkansas, on Friday evening.

Timmer reported that homes were damaged along Highway 278 in Arkansas during the storm.

Another storm that moved through Conway, Arkansas, caused roof damage to Carmichael Hall at the University of Central Arkansas. Fortunately, no injuries had been reported at the campus as of 11 p.m. CDT Saturday.

Farther north, thunderstorms across northern Missouri and Iowa primarily produced hail and damaging winds.

Strong wind gusts blew over a tractor trailer along Interstate 35 near Roland, Iowa. Hail larger than quarters also fell across Kansas City, with several storms moving through the city.

The threat of severe thunderstorms will shift into the southeastern United States on Saturday and Sunday, including the threat of tornadoes.

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