More than half a foot of rain could fall in some southern states through early next week, leading to flooding. (Ben Noll/Data source: ECMWF) By Ben Noll and Matthew Cappucci

An atmospheric river will form in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend before slamming into Florida, the Southeast and southern Appalachia. Severe thunderstorms are possible in the area, and as the storm could fuel more than a half-foot of rain through early next week, there’s also a risk of dangerous flooding.

Atmospheric rivers — like rivers in the sky — are common along the West Coast during winter. But this one will take a less typical path from the western Caribbean Sea to southern states. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected, with totals of 6 to 10 inches possible in the most persistently rainy spots,

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