Posted Friday, April 13, 2012 --- 9:15 a.m.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- The Storm Prediction Center says a dangerous tornado outbreak is likely Saturday in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma as intense storms move into the southern Plains.

Forecasters at the center in Norman, Okla., say there's a high risk of severe weather from Oklahoma City north to Salina, Kan. The severe storms are expected to strike Saturday afternoon and evening.

They warn that baseball-sized hail could pummel some isolated areas and winds of up to 70 mph are possible. The Storm Prediction Center says Saturday's outbreak could be a "high-end life threatening event."

Forecasters say there's a slight risk of severe weather Saturday in the country's midsection, stretching from central Texas northeast to Iowa.

The Storm Prediction Center is part of the National Weather Service.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.