Rob grew up in South Florida, where daily afternoon storms and hurricanes piqued his interest in meteorology early on. That interest was fostered by his teachers and his father, who one time brought him onto the roof of their home to watch a funnel cloud move through the Everglades several miles away. Years of filmmaking and tv production in high school gradually pushed him toward broadcast meteorology at Florida State University, where he joined and eventually led the student run daily weather show. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology, he began his career at KESQ in Palm Springs, California before heading to KFSN in Fresno and WLOS in Asheville, North Carolina. He has covered a diverse array of extreme weather events, including haboobs and flash flooding in the desert, extreme snow in the Sierra, hurricanes, and Appalachian ice storms. He also enjoys telling stories and reporting about weather issues.

Connect with Rob on <a href="https://twitter.com/WxRobBradley">Twitter</a>

Rob Bradley

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Hurricane Melissa was a devastating category 5 storm that made landfall in Jamaica as one of the strongest systems on record in the Atlantic Basin.A dropsonde recorded a wind gust of 252 mph shortly before landfall, which was verified this week by NSF NCAR (U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research) to be accurate, making it the strongest gust ever recorded in a tropical cyclone.WeatherNation Meteorologist Rob Bradley discusses the data and Melissa's intense winds with hurricane researcher Andy Hazelton, who was working the data position on the reconnaissance flight that recorded the record gust.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MGFxGPxDYoA" start="0"></iframe></div>What are meso-vortices? These are smaller scale circulations in the atmosphere that are essentially miniature low pressure systems. These can be observed within clusters of thunderstorms, but they also appear within the eye and eye wall of intense hurricanes. Melissa produced some of the most visually stunning meso-vortices in the satellite era (below).<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1983738129581301844" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1983738129581301844"></div>

Jesse Kelley

Hurricane Melissa Produces Strongest Gust Recorded in a Hurricane

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A strong storm system that brought severe storms and flooding rain to Texas and Oklahoma is on the move. The trough is moving east with more impactful weather before it heads into the Atlantic Saturday afternoon.Severe storms are possible along the cold front from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning from Kentucky into Mississippi. Wind damage is expected to be the primary hazard, so be sure to secure any loose objects outdoors. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/pic6-1763765922520.png">In addition to strong downdraft winds, an isolated tornado or two will be possible. This includes storms that may persist after dark, so be sure to have multiple ways to get warnings that can wake you up!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/pic5-1763765725127.png">Scattered heavy downpours are expected to persist north of the low across the Midwest through the morning, with the rain shifting east and breaking up some through the afternoon. Severe storms could form in the mid-afternoon, but the primary threat is likely to occur from the evening into the overnight hours. Our high-resolution forecast model shows supercell thunderstorms developing late in the evening in West Tennessee, before tracking east overnight into the Deep South.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-21 06-41-56-1763733722163.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall totals don't look too impressive thanks to the progressive movement of this system. 1-2 inches is expected for most areas that see thunderstorms.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-21 064108-1763733477376.png">Rainfall could come down quickly enough to produce flooding from the Midwest to the Mid-South.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-21 064049-1763733486101.png">

Patrick Crawford

Trough Shifts East, Severe Storms & Flooding Possible

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Kevin Schneider

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It is that time of year again—when millions of Americans hit the road or the skies to connect with friends and family. AAA is expecting a record number of travelers this year, surpassing the record-breaking 2024. Most travelers will be hitting the road vs flying.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o78PUXSJCJU" start="0"></iframe></div><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 104347-1763401813998.png">With millions hitting the roads, traffic will be hard to avoid, no matter where you are heading. However, there will be some better times to do your traveling. AAA suggests starting the journey early, but with a reasonable night of sleep the night prior.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 105052-1763401888415.png">With so many traveling over the holidays, there are some favored destinations. Other than New York City, the other 9 top destinations favor warm weather in late November.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 110215-1763402544204.png">How does this compare to previous years? With more than 6 million people expected to fly, that's a 2% increase compared to last year, but it's a more than 10% jump compared to pre-pandemic levels!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 105653-1763402231681.png">

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

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CALIFORNIA - The middle of November has been active on the west coast, with multiple storm systems tracking into California over the last ten days. Another low is taking aim at the Golden State to start the weekend, with flash flood potential elevated around Los Angeles Thursday, before the heaviest rain moves into the mountains and deserts. Heavy snow is expected as well, prompting winter weather alerts into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in Southern California.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/New Baron Video 3-1763694575745.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Heavy rain will move down the coast from Central California into Southern California throughout the night into early Friday. As the low stalls just offshore, additional rounds of rain and snow linger in Southern California through midday Saturday before the low finally moves east, leading to clearing skies.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-20 071516-1763650396917.png">Southern California could see several inches of heavy rainfall, which may lead to a flooding risk, especially because we have had a lot of recent rainfall. The higher elevations can expect up to five to ten with localized amounts of 16 inches of snowfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/1-1763694483048.png">The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has issued two slight (level 2 out of 4) threats for Southern California to see heavy rainfall and flooding Thursday through Friday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/New Baron Video 3-1763681671126.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The National Weather Service has also added winter storm warnings for the Riverside County Mountains and San Bernardino County mountains for Thursday through Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall expected Thursday night into Friday morning. Totals of 5-10" will be possible over 6000 feet, with up to 16 inches at the mountain peaks.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-20 075344-1763650440978.png">You can also watch the regional forecast on demand with the WeatherNation app!

Flood Risk Elevated in Southern California

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Originally born in Spokane, Washington,  Jackie's Dad was in the Air Force which led her to a life of travel. She has lived in Wichita, Okinawa, Japan, Baltimore, New Jersey, Indiana and South Carolina.  After graduating from Kadena High School, in Okinawa Japan, she got a full basketball scholarship to Coppin State College. On the court she was a 4-year starter and reached over 1000 points in her basketball career. She was also named Athlete of the Year for the whole university in 2002. Off the court, she earned a degree in Broadcast Production/English.

After college, she landed a job as a radio personality. Jackie went on to have a successful career for 12 years working at KXLY broadcast center. While on the radio, she decided to change career. Jackie went back to school, graduating from the Mississippi State Meteorology Broadcast Program. From snow, to tornadoes, to hurricanes, she has had experience forecasting all these events.

Jackie Brown

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Another November day in the south and another day of more record warmth! The high-pressure system bringing the record temperatures continues to dominate the pattern and will stick around through the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-20 163946-1763682036367.png"><h1>Southern Plains</h1>As a cold front sweeps through, it'll bring temperatures back to seasonal norms for the weekend. However, the front will not push down into the Gulf, allowing these areas to remain much warmer than average into next week. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-20 164135-1763682107853.png"><h1>Southeast</h1>Areas out ahead of the front, like much of the Southeast, will continue to see high temperatures push more than 15° above-average in some locales. While it might not be reaching dangerous levels, it's hard to remember to make Thanksgiving travel plans when it's this warm!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-20 164450-1763682297661.png">For more information on the central heat, tune into your central regional forecast at :30 past the hour on WeatherNation.

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Flood Risk Elevated in Southern California

Multiple High Temperature Records Tumbling Again Thursday

Hurricane Melissa Produces Strongest Gust Recorded in a Hurricane

Trough Shifts East, Severe Storms & Flooding Possible

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Flood Risk Elevated in Southern California

Multiple High Temperature Records Tumbling Again Thursday

Hurricane Melissa Produces Strongest Gust Recorded in a Hurricane

Trough Shifts East, Severe Storms & Flooding Possible

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Flood Risk Elevated in Southern California

Multiple High Temperature Records Tumbling Again Thursday