Massive storm targets East Coast with heavy rain after unleashing severe weather in Southeast

THE TAKEAWAY

• A powerful storm is charging eastward toward Canada, bringing heavy rain to the East Coast.
• The rain will continue through Friday and is expected to taper off by midday Saturday in New York.
• The massive system is expected to have impacted more than 35 states and 120 million people by the end of the week.

A powerful storm is charging eastward toward Canada after bringing heavy rain and severe weather to parts of the Tennessee Valley, Southern Appalachians and Georgia, while also triggering historic flooding across the Southwest.

WHEN IS THE EARLIEST SNOWFALL ON RECORD FOR PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST?

Starting Thursday morning, rain will spread toward the East Coast, bringing an end to a stretch of dry, sunny weather across parts of the Northeast.

The rain will continue through Friday as another shortwave moves through, reinforcing the chances of additional rainfall. Rain is expected to taper off by midday Saturday in New York.

"Widespread rainfall totals over an inch or more are possible across the Northeast, with localized amounts approaching 2 to 3 inches from eastern Virginia, Maryland and portions of southeast New England," the FOX Forecast Center said.

A Level 1 flash flood risk stretches from New York City through Boston and into Portland, Maine, on Friday.

Much of the Northeast has seen its longest dry streak of the year. New York City, Philadelphia and Boston have all gone over 2 weeks without measurable rain, with drought conditions ongoing across New England, particularly Maine.

The rain could help ease dry conditions, although downpours may cause minor flooding.

COULD SUPER EL NIÑO INFLUENCE THE POLAR VORTEX TO DO SOMETHING IT'S NEVER DONE BEFORE THIS WINTER?

Heavy rain could linger into Saturday morning across the Northeast.

Intense flooding lingers across the Southwest

Severe storms raced across the South Tuesday, prompting Tornado Warnings across northern Louisiana.

FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic captured footage of a tornado that touched down in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, late Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, parts of the Southwest are still reeling from flooding this past weekend.

Roads remain closed due to residual flooding and damage left behind by historic floods.

HOW FLOODWATER CAN MAKE YOU VERY SICK

Police in Flagstaff, Arizona, said they are investigating a second death as potentially being weather-related after finding a body in a stormwater drainage area on Monday.

Evacuations remain in effect in communities near the San Juan River in New Mexico and Colorado.