More Powerful Storms Threaten Eastern PA Wednesday

Another round of potentially powerful storms could inundate the Philadelphia region this evening, bringing heavy rainfall and the risk of flash flooding, forecasters warn.

The storms will be capable of dropping as much as 2 inches of rain per hour on the region, and bring with them the chance of high wind gusts, the National Weather Service said.

Areas in the "moderate risk" portion of this map (marked in red) are most at risk for the greatest impacts from the storms. A flood watch will be in place from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday.

Forecasters say there's the chance of scattered severe storms, with locally damaging wind gusts. Areas with poor drainage that have already experienced recent excessive rainfall are most at risk for flash flooding.

Additional rounds of showers and storms are forecast through the end of the week.

The latest forecast comes after severe storms swept through the region Tuesday night, prompting multiple tornado warnings as well as severe thunderstorm warnings. No tornadoes were reported during Tuesday's weather event.

AccuWeather says the latest pattern is a result of a combination of lingering moisture and weak fronts moving in slowly from the central United States. "Into Wednesday evening, the greatest risk of storms packing localized damaging wind gusts will extend from southeastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey southwestward to eastern Tennessee, northeastern Georgia and the South Carolina midlands," AccuWeather said.

Here's the forecast:

This afternoon: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 2pm and 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11pm and midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 85. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am, then a chance of showers after 2am. Low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.