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Philadelphia Weather: Heavy Rain Will Make For Sloppy Wednesday Evening Commute

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A potent storm system will ramp up across the Northeast Wednesday, and it's shaping up to deliver a burst of heavy rain followed by some strong gusts of wind.

The storm will be a product of two lows -- one driving south from the Great Lakes, and another moisture-rich system lifting in from the Gulf of Mexico. This will bring a lot of rain north into our region.

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The morning commute will be dry, with clouds increasing. Rain will overspread the area from west to east between 1 and 3 p.m., with a few showers possibly moving in prior.

The heaviest rain, though, will fall just at the time of the evening commute, leading to very slow travel conditions across the entire area.

While widespread flooding isn't expected, localized flooding in low-lying, poor drainage areas will be possible, as well as areas of ponding on local roads.

The vast majority of our region can expect about 1 inch of rain from this storm, with some areas seeing up to 2 inches.

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Credit: CBS3

On one hand, this is needed rain. It's been dry across the area and we are in need of a good soaking.

On the other hand, too much rain too quickly can lead to major travel headaches and hazardous conditions, especially when you factor in the possibility of wet leaves leading to slippery conditions. Take it slow and safe out there.

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Credit: CBS3

The rain should begin to taper off around 8 p.m., moving out completely by midnight.

On Thursday, the wind will take over. Winds may gust to 40 mph around the back edge of the low as it continues to intensify over New England.

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