Nearly 30 million people living in the U.S. states of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri are at the epicenter of a violent severe storm front set to strike the area Saturday. AccuWeather service predicted that the system could extend north to central Iowa and southern Wisconsin and as south as northeastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana. Major urban areas like Chicago and St. Louis could see tornadoes, large hail and severe wind gusts. “Storms from northern Missouri and southern Iowa to central Illinois may have the greatest potential for tornadoes," AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Knopick said. Weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce warned that shelter plans could be altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is currently no federal guidance on the use of community tornado shelters during the coronavirus pandemic,” Dolce said, asking people to check with local authorities on the status of shelters.