A storm will take shape near the northwestern Gulf of Mexico coast and expand a swath of drenching rain across the southern and eastern United States this weekend and into early next week.

"The storm may bring both drought relief and urban flooding issues, depending on its strength," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey.

Enough rain is likely to fall to cause travel delays due to excess water and poor visibility along the Interstate 10 and 20 corridors in the South.

Airline delays are likely from New Orleans and Nashville to Atlanta, Charlotte and Orlando as the storm moves eastward.

Farther north, the rainfall is likely to be much less potent. Minor delays related to brief showers are possible along the I-75 corridor in the Midwest and I-81 and I-95 in the East. The odds are against significant airline delays in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.

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"It is looking much less likely a long-lasting, drenching rain will affect the Northeast this weekend and more likely that a brief period of rain or a few showers will occur," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

Not enough rain is likely to occur to bring a flood risk to the Upper Midwest.

The rain is scheduled to affect areas from Memphis, Tennessee, to Detroit and Buffalo, New York, on Saturday and from Roanoke, Virginia, to New York City and Boston on Sunday.

"The only real drawback is that the rain may spoil some outdoor plans for this weekend in the Northeast," Pydynowski said.

A lack of arctic air will greatly limit the amount of freezing and frozen precipitation on the front side of the storm.

While arctic air will not follow the storm, it is possible that just enough cold air circulates in to cause a change to snow showers in parts of the Ohio Valley, eastern Great Lakes and central Appalachians at the tail end.

Some areas from northern Louisiana and central Mississippi to southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle are experiencing severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

For example, in Panama City, Florida, less-than-average rainfall first developed during late spring, then diminished for a time late in the summer. However, drought conditions developed during the fall and grew worse since the start of winter. During December, Panama City only received 0.04 of an inch of rain, compared to an average of 4.47 inches.

Farther north, abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions extend from the northern parts of Alabama and Georgia to the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and parts of eastern New York state.

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