Photos: Damaging storms batter southern US, prompt tornado emergency in Coushatta, Louisiana

The first week of April ended with severe thunderstorms from Texas to Mississippi, bringing large hail and tornadoes.

Thunderstorms erupted along the Interstate 20 corridor from Jackson, Mississippi, through Dallas late Friday afternoon and continued into Friday night.

One of the most powerful storms developed southeast of Shreveport, Louisiana, which eventually produced a significant tornado threat.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado emergency for Coushatta, Louisiana, at 7:38 p.m. CDT.

"This is a particularly dangerous situation. You are in a life-threatening situation," the NWS said in the emergency alert issued for the area around Coushatta.

A tornado emergency is a type of tornado warning that is only issued when there is a significant tornado threat to a highly populated area.

Damage has been reported near Coushatta, including many trees down in the area, according to law enforcement.

The NWS confirmed that an EF1 tornado caused damage Saturday morning northwest of Paulina, Louisiana, with maximum winds of 90 mph.

The tornado, which tracked across a 1.16-mile path, tore the roof completely from at least one home, leaving several others with significant roof damage, the NWS reported.

The weather radar near Coushatta, Louisiana, shortly after the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency.

There were reports of tornadoes with three other tornado-warned thunderstorms across the region, including near Tallulah, Louisiana; Briggs, Texas; and Pelahatchie, Mississippi.

Many other thunderstorms across this area on Friday afternoon and early Friday night produced heavy downpours and large hail.

Large hail that fell near McKinney, Texas late Friday afternoon. (Photo/Jeff Veal)

One thunderstorm that traced just north of Dallas dropped hail larger than the size of golf balls.

Over 30,000 electric customers were still without power on Saturday morning following the severe weather.

The threat of strong thunderstorms will continue across the southeastern United States through the first half of the weekend.

Hail nearly as large as baseballs that fell near Allen, Texas, on Friday evening. (Photo/@FlightRisk91)

This may look like golf balls, but that is hailstones covering the ground near McKinney, Texas. (Photo/@M2Chalet)

Storm damage near Melrose, Louisiana. (Photo/Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office)

Storm damage near Melrose, Louisiana. (Photo/Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office)