OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Baseball-sized hail is breaking windows and tearing the siding off homes in northeast Nebraska, and forecasters are warning residents across the nation’s midsection to brace for “life threatening” storms. The National Weather Service says at least three possible tornadoes were reported early Saturday in central Oklahoma, while hail and rain were pelting Nebraska by early afternoon. No injuries were immediately reported. But forecasters are expecting the most dangerous weather later in the day and are warning residents across the region of possible fast-moving overnight tornadoes. Officials say a large area spanning from Minnesota to Texas could be at risk. In Nebraska, Boone County Sheriff David Spiegel says large hail has damaged vehicles, shattered windows and ripped the siding off of houses in and around Petersburg, a town about 140 miles northwest of Omaha.

While no watches or warning are in effect for the KJAN listening area, the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for much of Nebraska from Noon today until 7-p.m.   Stay tuned to KJAN.com for additional weather updates. Keep your radio or a Weather Alert radio handy today!

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/oax/

COUNTIES IN IA: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-

PAGE; COUNTIES IN NE: KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON- STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER- SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE- JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-

1143 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE/VALLEY, NE

THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT: THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. THE MAIN THREAT FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AFTER 3 PM AND BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE TORNADOES…VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TO THE NORTH WITH INDIVIDUAL CELLS TRACKING NORTHEAST WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT.

A MORE POTENT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS STILL EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AFTER THE INITIAL MORNING THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FIRST EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS WARM AND MOIST AIR RETURNS TO THE AREA…THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE STRONGLY UNSTABLE…THIS ALONG WITH VERY STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER…INCLUDING VERY LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES.