Thunderstorms and tornadoes are pulsing through parts of the upper Midwest on Wednesday as dangerous, sweltering heat bakes nearly a third of the nation’s population.

Scattered severe thunderstorms, as well as several tornadoes, large hail and gusty, damaging winds are lining parts of Iowa into Wisconsin, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center forecast. Heavy rainfall and scattered flash flooding are also possible in the region, according to the National Weather Service.

In parts of the central Plains, isolated thunderstorms are forecast by late afternoon Wednesday, the storm prediction center said.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEAT:From the heat index to a heat dome to an excessive heat warning

Some severe storms may also bring damaging winds and large hail Wednesday to the Southeast through the central Appalachians, the weather service forecast.

Line of damaging thunderstorms moves across Midwest

Central Iowa to the upper peninsula of Michigan is at the highest risk for damaging thunderstorms with the worst of the storms likely to hit north and west of Chicago on Wednesday evening, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.

Severe thunderstorms along with tornadoes continue to progress eastward of Wisconsin towards the east of Illinois.

The National Weather Service issued several severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings for west Wisconsin as parts of east Wisconsin received an all-clear for the remainder of Wednesday.

Thousands of Wisconsin residents are without power, according to various energy services. Mausten, Wisconsin, saw a tornado race through the city Wednesday afternoon.

“There is damage with lots of power lines down, lots of trees down. We got some damages to businesses that we have confirmed,” city administrator Randy Reeg told USA TODAY on Wednesday. “We have unconfirmed reports of damage to our hospital. We know they were without power.”