Heavy rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for areas east of the Mississippi River.

Heavy rain and severe weather has already taken the spotlight over the Florida Peninsula. Damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible with the strongest storms.

Rainfall across the Southeast and Florida could run 1 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts through Friday morning and additional heavy rain is possible Friday afternoon.

Some areas of the Southeast already picked up 2 to 5 inches of rain Wednesday and that combined with the expected rain today and Friday could lead to increased flooding.

Western areas should be drier today, although a few rain and snow showers are likely over northern Texas and southern Oklahoma.

Temperatures should run above average for most of the region. High temperatures should be in the 60s and 70s with a few chillier 50s expected in the southern Plains and West Texas.