MA Weather: When Thursday's Rain Will Fall

Hurricane Michael has weakened to a tropical storm as it moves northeast after devastating parts of Florida and Georgia. The storm is still on track to move out to sea before it gets to New England, but it's expected to bring heavy rain Thursday.

A flash flood watch is in effect for all of Massachusetts from 11 a.m. to late Thursday night and even into Friday morning for Southeastern Mass. and the Cape. The downpours could happen in a 1-3 hour window, exacerbating the possibility of a flash flood.

There is no exact timeline, but the National Weather Service said to expect light showers in the morning that will become much heavier this evening, starting to intensify after lunch.

A cold front will move in, drawing upon tropical moisture from the storm and creating downpours, the NWS said. Most of Massachusetts is expected to get about 1-2 inches, with higher amounts locally wherever thunderstorms pop up. Southeastern Mass. and the Cape could get 2-3 inches of rain, with as much as 5 inches possible.

The storm will pass by Nantucket early Friday morning, creating the possibility for some more morning rain.

Michael's winds were about 50 miles per hour early Thursday morning, about 100 mph less than when it was a Category 4 hurricane. The storm is responsible for the death of a man in Florida and an 11-year-old in Georgia.

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