Severe thunderstorms packing damaging winds and large hail are expected to hit the Houston area late tonight into early Thursday morning, forecasters warn.

As a busy weather pattern continues for portions of the Northeast, Midwest and south-central United States, storms will repeat in some areas where repairs to previous damage and utility lines are taking place and in locations where prior storms may have weakened trees and lines, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

Monday is probably the peak, but a storm risk shifts eastward Tuesday. Cities in the highest risk for tornadoes include Minneapolis and Rochester in Minnesota.

After an active weather day with several inches of rain, large hail, and strong gusty winds, things are calming down, briefly.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms left at least 20,000 Oncor customers without power early Wednesday. But those numbers dropped to under 10,000 by Wednesday night after stormy weather exited the region. According to the utility,