A tornado was spotted near Tangipahoa, Louisiana, according to the New Orleans National Weather Service, which urged residents to take shelter as the tornado moves north. Three people were injured in a possible tornado near the village of Tangipahoa, according to Tangipahoa County Police Chief Jimmy Travis. Several southern states released tornado watches Wednesday as the storms move across the region. Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and one county in Texas were also on tornado alert until 10:00 pm ET. As the storm line moves east into Mississippi and Tennessee, more tornado hours may be released. More than 8 million people are at risk due to severe weather in the south as storms with damaging winds, flash floods and scattered tornadoes are expected. Jackson, Mississippi is at the center of this major weather threat, as storms in the area are likely to run late into the evening. Nighttime tornadoes are 2.5 times more deadly than daytime tornadoes. A major storm that moves across the country brings with it a range of weather hazards, from severe weather and gusty winds to heavy snow. More than 40 million Americans in 20 states are at risk from winds that stretch from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, with wind gusts of up to 50 mph on Wednesday and Thursday.