Dangerous thunderstorms and tornadoes will continue into tonight across the South. The same system will spark an outbreak of strong storms along the mid-Atlantic coast Friday.

The South Regional News reports increasingly strong storms are erupting from southeastern Louisiana to central Kentucky and will shift eastward later tonight, reaching from the Virginia Panhandle to the Florida Panhandle.

The Severe Weather Center reports the clash of cold air behind an advancing front from the west and warm, moist air surging from the Gulf of Mexico over the Southeast is fueling the intense storms, while a powerful jet stream is adding instability to the atmosphere.

The Severe Weather Center lists the multiple tornado and wind watches and warnings in effect across the South.

There has been an unconfirmed tornado reported in Jackson, La., and another tornado sighting near Magnolia, Miss. A tornado is suspected as the cause for damage in Goodman, Miss. around 12:00 noon CST. Storms are expected to reach peak intensity through early evening before moving into an area from western North Carolina to Georgia and the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle later tonight. For a more complete list of possible tornadoes Thursday, consult the National Weather News Summaries.

A tornado touched down at an elementary school in Caledonia, Miss. at 2:13 p.m. CST Thursday. The storm injured ten children and destroyed the school gym. Two of the children were seriously injured. The storm damaged school buses and tossed around other vehicles. Other tornadoes touched down in Vernon, Ala. and near New Harmony and Iuka, Miss. in the afternoon.

Areas of heavy rain have stretched from the Gulf Coast to the central Appalachians and the immediate Ohio Valley. An inch and a half had fallen by noon EST in Memphis, Tenn. By Friday, some locations in the Tennessee Valley and central Appalachians could receive as much as 3 inches of rain.

The Midwest Regional News story reports the northern end of the storm system is spreading flooding rain across the Midwest and lower Great Lakes, while snow is falling in the Upper Midwest and northern Plains.

Homes south of Monticello , Ind. are surrounded by flood waters from the Tippecanoe River Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008. Surging rivers and streams killed three people and damaged hundreds of homes. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The Severe Weather Center lists the flood warnings in effect today across the lower Great Lakes.

Heavy rain and snowmelt this week have pushed a number of waterways in the Midwest to record flood levels. The Tippecanoe River in northern Indiana is expected to crest today at 15.3 feet, topping the record of 15.22 feet set on August 20, 1990.

Motorists should never attempt to drive through a flooded road, no matter how benign it appears. Fox News Channel reports there has been a flood-related death today in Pontiac, Mich. Tuesday, three people, including two children, died in separate incidents when the vehicles they were in became trapped in floodwaters across northern Indiana.

According to the Winter Weather Center, 1 to 3 inches of snow will fall in most areas, while up to 6 inches is forecast across the northern half of Lower Michigan, where winter storm watches are in effect.

Overnight, rain will begin to move into the mid-Atlantic region. By Friday, the storm system will spark an outbreak of potentially severe storms along the Eastern Seaboard from southern New Jersey to North Carolina.

According to the East Regional News story, the greatest threats Friday will be strong, gusty winds and heavy rain that could lead to flooding along the Interstate 95 corridor.

Meanwhile, Severe Weather Center forecasters continue to monitor the potential development of a coastal storm that could impact the Eastern Seaboard Sunday and Monday. Depending on the timing and track of the storm, snow could fall in the Appalachians, and possibly in Boston, while rain is likely in the major urban areas of the I-95 corridor south of the New York City metropolitan area.

Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said, "If the storm hugs the coast, then there will be just rain or rain at the height of the storm for much of the major I-95 corridor cities, with a belt of heavy snow from northeastern Pennsylvania through interior New England. If the storm were to track off the coast by 100-200 miles or so, it could be an all-out snowstorm for the I-95 belt." The storm is expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday afternoon and track northeastward, he added.

The details on the storm will unfold over the next couple of days.