7 states under flood watches as storm brings heavy rain to East Coast

The same storm system that brought flooding and hail to Georgia and Florida -- and heavy snow to the Upper Midwest -- is now bringing heavy rain to the East Coast, stretching from Florida to Maine.

Flood watches have been issued through Thursday afternoon for seven states from North Carolina to Maine.

The storm brought damaging winds up to 75 mph to southern Georgia and more than 5 inches of rain to Florida and Georgia, producing localized flash flooding.

The heaviest rain Thurdday will be from eastern North Carolina to Long Island and eastern New England.

Locally, an additional couple of inches of rain is possible. Major flooding is not forecast, just localized ponding on the roads is expected.

The rain will continue for the Northeast into Thursday night.

  The same storm system brought flooding and hail to Georgia and Florida and heavy snow to the Upper Midwest earlier in the week. Hail the size of pingpong balls was reported from Florida's Panhandle to southern Georgia Tuesday while 20 to 40 inches of snow fell from New Mexico to Minnesota.

After record warm winter for the Midwest, March is turning out to be the snowiest "winter" month. Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport has received more snow during the month of March, with 15.2 inches, than they did for the entire winter -- December, January and February -- with 11.1 inches.