A storm that will bring drenching rain from Texas to the Carolinas Tuesday through the middle of the week could bring substantial snow to parts of the interior Middle Atlantic and New England later this week.

This means that snow could be around on New Year's Eve as Northeasterners usher in the new year. Accumulating snow can be expected from the central Appalachians into New England as the storm unfolds. Meanwhile, a wintry mix will create slick conditions along the I-95 corridor.

The strength of the storm all hinges on what will be going on to the west. A trailing low pressure system will produce light snow across the southern Plains Thursday, and if that energy should happen to catch up to and merge with the storm forming on the East Coast, we could have a pretty nasty situation by Friday.

The other possibility is that these systems remain entirely separate with one coming Thursday and the other happening later Friday into Saturday.

Story By AccuWeather.com Meteorologists John Kocet and Katie Storbeck.