Storm tracking across US set to become nor'easter by Friday

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ABC News(NEW YORK) — While the Midwest and central United States are cleaning up from last week’s flooding, a new storm system is moving into the area late Wednesday into Thursday.

The storm system has already brought as much as 13 inches of snow to central California and up to 5 inches of snow to the Southern California hills.

As the storm strengthens and moves east, flood watches have already been issued for huge chunk of southern and central U.S., from Texas to Kentucky.

On Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the storm system, severe weather will break out from Texas to Mississippi. The biggest threat with these storms will be damaging winds; hail and tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Also, flash flooding is a threat.

As the storm continues to move east, rain will change to snow in places such as Chicago and Detroit on Thursday afternoon, with several inches possible.

By late Thursday afternoon, heavy rain arrives in the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston. Rain will be heavy at times, with gusty winds and some coastal flooding possible.

By Friday morning, the storm system will strengthen into a powerful nor’easter and will change to snow in upstate New York, Pennsylvania and inland New England.

Strong winds, coastal flooding and rain will continue for coastal areas from New Jersey to Maine.

The heaviest rain will fall in the Tennessee River Valley, where 2 to 5 inches of rain is possible locally. Some heavy rainfall totals will be possible in the Northeast, as well from Philadelphia to New York and into Boston; locally, 1 to 2 inches are possible.

The heaviest snow will fall in upstate New York and into New England, where more than 6 inches of snow is possible locally. Several inches of snow will also fall from Chicago to Detroit and into western Pennsylvania.

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