ATLANTA, GA — A powerful cross-country storm is moving east and is set to bring severe weather to parts of the Southeast on Wednesday before dumping heavy rain on the East Coast beginning Thursday. The system has already produced widespread flooding in the Four Corners region over the weekend, where at least one person died in Arizona.
By the end of the week, the storm is expected to have affected more than 35 states and 120 million people. Forecasters say the setup will first favor dangerous weather in the Tennessee Valley, the Southern Appalachians and Georgia, then shift toward a long stretch of rain from the Mid-Atlantic into New England.
Tennessee Valley faces the heaviest rain and flash flood concern Wednesday
The most significant rain threat Wednesday is centered on the Tennessee Valley, where a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk is in place for East Tennessee and eastern Kentucky. The rain is arriving as showers and thunderstorms move across the Midwest and Mississippi River Valley and the low-pressure system pushes toward the Great Lakes.
Forecasters expect the rain to be heavy enough in spots to create localized flooding problems. That risk is part of a broader pattern of fast-moving storms and widespread moisture spreading east with the system.
The same storm is also driving severe weather concerns in the Southeast, making Wednesday a busy and potentially hazardous day for several states at once.
Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas are in the main severe weather zone
The strongest severe weather risk Wednesday stretches across East Tennessee, eastern Alabama, southwestern North Carolina, northwestern South Carolina and much of northern and central Georgia, including Atlanta. Damaging wind gusts are expected to be the main threat in that corridor.
Forecasters also say isolated tornadoes are possible, with the threat beginning late Wednesday morning. That means communities in the region could face a stretch of changing conditions as storms develop and move through during the day.
The weather pattern is especially concerning because the same system is combining heavy rain with severe storms, which can complicate travel and response efforts. Residents in the risk area are being urged to monitor conditions closely as the day unfolds.
East Coast rain begins Thursday with a messy commute in the Northeast
Rain is expected to reach parts of the East Coast early Thursday, raising the chance of a wet morning commute in the Northeast. The storm should continue moving east after its Midwestern and Southern impact, with rain spreading into major population centers and eventually lingering into the end of the week.
The FOX Forecast Center says widespread rainfall totals of more than an inch are possible across the Northeast. In some places, especially eastern Virginia, Maryland and parts of southeast New England, localized totals could approach 2 to 3 inches.
That amount of rain is enough to create drainage issues, ponding on roads and slower travel, especially if heavier bands line up over busy corridors during commute hours.
Flash flood risk extends from New York City to Portland by Friday
A Level 1 flash flood risk stretches from New York City through Boston and into Portland, Maine, on Friday. The storm’s rain could continue beyond the first round of Thursday downpours, keeping flooding concerns in place for part of the Northeast into the weekend.
Heavy rain may linger into Saturday morning across the region, which would extend the period of wet roads and possible localized flooding. The prolonged timeline is what makes this system so disruptive: it is not just a one-day storm, but a multi-day weather event moving from the Southeast to New England.
Even areas that are used to occasional autumn rain may see impacts if the heaviest bursts line up with already saturated streets and storm drains.
The rain could ease dry conditions in major Northeast cities
Much of the Northeast has gone through its longest dry stretch of the year. New York City, Philadelphia and Boston have all gone more than two weeks without measurable rain, and drought conditions remain ongoing across New England, especially in Maine.
That means the storm may bring some benefit as well as disruption. The incoming rain could help reduce dry conditions in parts of the region, even as it creates the possibility of minor flooding in urban and low-lying areas.
Forecasters are watching both sides of the equation: needed rainfall in some places, but enough intensity to cause runoff and traffic problems in others. The balance will depend on where the heaviest bands set up as the system moves north and east.
Flooding and storm damage remain active in the Southwest
While the storm advances across the country, parts of the Southwest are still dealing with the aftermath of the weekend flooding. Roads remain closed because of lingering floodwater and damage left behind by what officials described as historic floods.
In Flagstaff, Arizona, police said they are investigating a second death as potentially weather-related after a body was found Monday in a stormwater drainage area. Evacuations are still in effect in communities near the San Juan River in New Mexico and Colorado.
Severe storms also moved through the South on Tuesday, prompting Tornado Warnings across northern Louisiana. FOX Weather storm tracker Brandon Copic captured video of a tornado that touched down in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, late Tuesday morning.