Tornadoes possible in Mid-Atlantic as storms set to drench East Coast

(NEW YORK) — As severe weather moves east, a round of damaging storms is expected on Friday from Louisiana to Ohio.

At least 15 tornadoes were reported across three states earlier this week, causing severe damage and leaving three people dead in Oklahoma. At least eight of those tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma. Huge hail — some the size of a softball — was reported from Illinois to Texas.

On Thursday, damaging straight line winds up to 81 mph were reported in Cook County, near Chicago. Baseball-sized hail fell in Henry County, Illinois.  

Severe weather will move east over the next two days bringing damaging winds and hail from the Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic.

Strong to severe storms will hit the South, including New Orleans; Jackson, Mississippi; and Houston as well as another area from Ohio to western Pennsylvania and western New York.  The biggest threat Friday will be isolated damaging winds, some hail and even isolated tornadoes.

The threat moves to the East Coast over the weekend and will stretch from coastal Georgia to the Carolinas and into Virginia and Maryland. Areas in the bull’s-eye will be Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; and Washington, D.C.

The biggest threat Saturday will be damaging winds and some hail. There is also a chance of an isolated tornado in the Mid-Atlantic. Some of the storms could even reach Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Most of the Northeast will not see severe weather, but heavy rain and thunderstorms are possible in New Jersey, New York City and into southern New England.  

The heaviest rain hits New York City Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Street flooding is possible. Locally, some areas could see up to 3 inches of rain in a short period of time, with some flash flooding possible.

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