Storms Disrupt Power In US Northeast; Forecast Warns Of Possible Derecho (PICTURES)

Storms hit the U.S. Northeast leaving at least one person dead and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of residents. Severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpour are expected to hit the U.S. Midwest on Friday and into New York City and the Northeast, forecasters said.

National Weather Service issued thunderstorm warnings in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas and several other points that lie in between.

In Pennsylvania, a woman died in her car, which was crushed under a tree, reported the CNN.

"The risk for widespread damaging winds will increase from midday to mid-afternoon from Indiana and Ohio across Pennsylvania, southeast New York, into western Massachusetts and Connecticut," the U.S. Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said in a severe weather outlook.

The weather service has warned of possible tornadoes ripping through Elmira, New York and Brookville, Pennsylvania.