Residents across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are preparing for another round of severe weather on Tuesday, with forecasters warning of damaging thunderstorms, possible tornadoes and flash flooding just days after heavy rainfall drenched the region.

The National Weather Service has identified a broad corridor stretching from northeastern Kentucky to New Jersey as facing the highest risk of severe weather, assigning the area a Level 3 out of 5 threat.

Major metropolitan areas including Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia are expected to be among the hardest hit.

Forecasters say numerous severe thunderstorms are likely to develop throughout the day, bringing the potential for destructive wind gusts, torrential rainfall and isolated tornadoes.

Heavy rain is expected to move across the Ohio Valley during the morning and around midday before spreading into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic during the afternoon and evening.

The renewed storm threat follows widespread downpours that affected the region on Saturday, raising concerns that already saturated ground could increase the risk of flash flooding in vulnerable areas.

Emergency officials are urging residents to closely monitor weather forecasts, remain alert for rapidly changing conditions and be prepared to take shelter if severe weather warnings are issued.

Meteorologists caution that localized flooding, damaging winds and hazardous travel conditions are possible as the storm system moves eastward throughout the day.