GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The western Carolinas are in store for some heavy rain along with embedded thunderstorms on Thursday, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Oconee, Pickens and northern Greenville counties in South Carolina; Macon, southern Jackson, Transylvania and Henderson counties in North Carolina; and Stephens and Franklin counties in northeast Georgia. The watch is in effect until 4 p.m. Thursday.

FOX Carolina meteorologist Melissa Jones said a cold front moving in from the west along with a low pressure system moving in from the south will combine to produce heavy rainfall. She said a few strong storms are possible along and south of Interstate 85. She said some of the storms could produce damaging winds.

Jones said some locations could see as much as two inches of rainfall by the time the front moves out on Thursday night.

Although the rain will be heavy, it is badly needed in the western Carolinas.

Greenville and Asheville both remain in an exceptional drought status – the highest level on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Rainfall in Greenville is 13.39 inches below normal for the year. In Asheville, rainfall is 13.7 inches below normal for the year.