United States

Rain coming to the eastern part of the nation can be a drought-buster for some and only disappointing, temporary relief for others. (Image by Photos.com)

A storm is taking aim at the Atlantic Seaboard this weekend and will bring drought-busting rain to some locations but only temporary relief to others.

Portions of the Southeast continue to suffer through exceptional drought, while areas farther north from Virginia to New England are experiencing building drought, hydrological drought or abnormally dry conditions.

Because of these conditions, any flooding problems would tend to be limited to urban areas, catch basins and a few small streams.

A storm forecast to develop over the Gulf of Mexico this weekend will swing up along the East Coast Sunday into the first part of next week.

Related: Drought Suspends Pennsylvania Fracking Operations

The exact track and intensity of this storm will determine which areas receive the greatest amount of rain.

Eventually even some wet snow as colder air invades the system later in its life span.

Rain

As we see it now, portions of the Southeast and New England are likely to be the biggest benefactors of the storm's rain. Portions of Florida, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, for example, could receive several inches of rain.

In the swath from the Delmarva to New York City, a period of drenching rain is still in the cards, but it may only last for a few hours. A dry sweep of air from the southwest may roll in, ending the steadiest rain.

Farther west, over the Piedmont, the Susquehanna Valley and the central and southern Appalachians, while any rain will be beneficial it may be somewhat stingy compared to what falls farther east in New England and along the southern Atlantic coast.

A front swinging eastward during Saturday is not the main storm.

These more western locations in the East may have to rely on getting part of their rain from a cold front moving in Saturday.

Thunderstorms, Wind

The rain will come at a price. In Florida, there is the potential for damaging thunderstorms with hail and powerful wind gusts Saturday into Sunday. Some of the thunderstorms in the South could bring wind gusts topping 60 mph, large hail and even a few tornadoes.

This is where the storm will begin this weekend, before heading northeastward Sunday and Monday.

In New England, if the storm develops to its full potential, the rain can be accompanied by strong southeasterly winds that knock down tree limbs and power lines. In this extreme case, the onshore component of the wind (50 mph) can also create above-normal tides and rough surf.

A few strong thunderstorms could even reach the coastal swath from Washington, D.C., to New York City and New England.

Snow

Snowfall has occurred this late in the season and this storm certainly has the potential to bring snow.

AccuWeather.com Snow Warning Specialist Brian Wimer stated, "We feel that at the very least some snow will mix in over the higher elevations of the central and northern Appalachians."

The greatest potential for accumulating snow appears to be from northern West Virginia and the high ground in western Maryland, northward through west-central Pennsylvania and into the mountains of western New York.

The exact area and intensity of the snow will again depend on the storm track and intensity.

"Typically, snow this time of the year in the East tends to only accumulate in a very small area and favors high elevations, but still can be intense," Wimer added.

This time of the year it has to snow extremely hard to stick to roads and quickly melts off once it lets up. However, heavy snow on trees leafing out could be an issue in a small area.

Keep checking your local forecast, stories and weather experts on AccuWeather.com for updates.