The FOX Forecast Center is monitoring a potent fall cross-country storm that will cover 40 states and bring severe weather to the central U.S. and days of heavy rain to the Northeast this weekend and into early next week.

The storm is currently working its way east through the Rockies after dropping record-setting rain on California earlier in the week and heavy snow in the Sierra.

The severe weather system is expected to intensify Friday, first bringing scattered thunderstorms from Oklahoma to northwestern Missouri in the morning, while bringing a more significant afternoon threat to the Ark-La-Tex region, the Ozarks and the Mississippi Valley late Friday afternoon and into the evening.

Tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are all possible, though the exact intensity of thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday will be determined by the amount of daytime heating.

Higher afternoon temperatures will increase the strength of the storms later in the day and evening.

A large swath of the country from Texas to Ohio will face this severe weather threat Saturday. Be sure to check the FOX Weather app for more details as the forecast becomes more refined.

STORMS PACKING DAMAGING WINDS, TORNADOES COULD SLAM CITIES FROM OZARKS TO MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THIS WEEKEND

The rain is forecast to intensify Sunday night, reaching the heavily populated Interstate 95 corridor in time for the Monday morning commute.

Heavy rain is expected to persist through early Tuesday, with widespread rain totals of 1-2 inches across the Northeast and northern New England and localized amounts of 2-3 inches of rain possible.

In addition, while the main area of low pressure responsible for the wet weather begins to lift into Canada Tuesday, computer forecast models suggest that another area of low pressure may develop, and soggy conditions could linger across parts of New England into midweek.