Brittany Lockley

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A renewed round of severe weather is expected to take aim at the Plains late this week, bringing the potential for large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. After a brief lull, atmospheric conditions are once again becoming favorable for strong to severe storms as warm, moist air surges northward and clashes with an incoming system. The Storm Prediction Center is already highlighting an area of potential severe weather forming along this dryline starting Wednesday and Thursday. This setup is expected to create instability across parts of the central U.S., particularly from Texas through Oklahoma and into Kansas.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 154503-1776807916283.png">The risk for Wednesday will be a marginal threat. There is a window of a few hours during which storms will be possible. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk of severe weather on Thursday. The forecast suggests that these storms will fire up around 6 p.m. and extend into the evening. The greatest threats on Thursday will include very large hail and powerful wind gusts, but tornado development is also a concern, especially in areas where storms can remain isolated and intensify. The timing of these storms could stretch from late week into the weekend, with multiple rounds possible as the system slowly moves across the region.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776884638603.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Within that risk, there is a highlighted threat for a few tornadoes. The hatched area has the potential for stronger tornadoes, an EF2 in strength or stronger.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776884683434.png">Heavy rainfall may also accompany these storms, raising the risk of localized flooding in some areas already dealing with saturated ground. Residents across the Plains are being urged to stay weather-aware and have multiple ways to receive warnings, as conditions can change quickly during severe weather outbreaks.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 110121-1776877291557.png"> Tune into WeatherNation for more details.

Jesse Kelley

Severe Storm Threat Reloads Across Plains with Hail, Wind, and Tornado Risk

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Taban Sharifi grew up in Southern California between Los Angeles and San Diego. She is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) with the American Meteorological Society (AMS). She has a B.S. in Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Environmental Sciences with a minor in Environmental Systems and Society from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Go Bruins! While in school, Taban was a meteorology intern with NBC LA. There she helped forecast daily weather for the greater Los Angeles region and created a playbook to deploy weather sensors for NBC owned-and-operated stations across the country. Her first on-air job took her to San Angelo, Texas, where she was a morning meteorologist and co-anchor. Working in West Texas gave her knowledge and experience covering severe storms. From there, she moved to Palm Springs, California. People think forecasting in California is sunshine all the time, but with temperatures in the 120’s, wildfires, damaging winds, floodings, and earthquakes, the forecasting kept her very busy! She also worked there as a general assignment reporter and told community stories. Taban is excited for the challenge and opportunity to forecast nationally with WeatherNation. She also looks forward to exploring all that Colorado has to offer!

Taban Sharifi

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<h1>SOUTHEAST</h1>Over 97% of the Southeast is in moderate to exceptional drought. These dry conditions have been one of many factors increasing the fire threat across the southeast. This is the driest this area has been since the year 2000.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 160005-1776808816286.png">Over the next few days, we can see gusty conditions combined with the drought, which will aid any fires that start rapidly! An ELEVATED risk for fire danger remains in place across the Carolinas. If you are in a local burn ban, please use caution and obey!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776884837071.png">The Railroad fire is a current fire we are tracking across Clay County, FL.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776884885830.png"><h1>CENTRAL PLAINS</h1>An ELEVATED to CRITICAL risk for fire danger is in effect for the Plains Wednesday. These areas are dealing with incredibly dry conditions, increasing drought, gusty conditions, and warmer-than-normal temperatures. Thunderstorms are also possible within the fire risk especially in the Western Plains. However, moisture from the storms could evaporate and that could cause some dry thunderstorms.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776884985092.png">Cities like Denver, CO, and Albuquerque, NM will have humidity levels down to just 3% on Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155744-1776808697454.png">More details can be found live on WeatherNation throughout the hour.

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

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Alana Cameron was born and raised in Canada in the city of Mississauga, just outside of Toronto. Alana is the oldest of 4 siblings, all close in age, and grew up playing outside with them in all types of weather. After graduating high school, Alana moved to study at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna for a year before transferring to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Atmospheric Science. Upon completion, Alana moved back to Toronto where she completed a post-grad degree in Meteorology at York University. After her post-grad, she went on to complete another post-grad in Broadcast Journalism - TV News at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. During her final year of studies she had the privilege of interning with the best in the business in Canada at The Weather Network. Once she finished her internship, she got the call from small-town Denison, Texas where she accepted a job as an on-air meteorologist at KTEN-TV, right in tornado alley, covering severe weather from Sherman/Denison (North Texas) to Ada (Southern Oklahoma). After the most active tornado season Oklahoma had seen in May 2019 (105 tornadoes!) Alana is excited to join WeatherNation to cover weather all across the nation. If you're interested in following her on social media she can be found @alanacameronwx!

Alana Cameron

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CALIFORNIA - The rain and snow across California will start to taper off later today. We've picked up a good amount of rainfall already from this system. The precipitation values definitely are winding down as we go through tonight.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot20260422044859png-1776855063728.png">Later this week a new system comes in to bring the southwest rain and snowfall. So if you missed out on this frontal system, there's more to come.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/west-1776883365335.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The timing of this moisture starts to pick up when the upper level low pressure system moves in by Friday. Scattered showers and snow showers are possible across California, Nevada, and the Four Corners starting late Saturday but picking up by the weekend.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04-22 rsw-1776883390959.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rain and snowfall totals don't look to be overly impressive but it's something considering the ongoing drought out west.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 124014-1776883453398.png">

First Batch of Rain & Snow for California Ending Today

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Already looking ahead to the end of the week and into the weekend, there are multiple areas of low pressure that will keep severe storms in the forecast. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined areas of the Plains to the South for severe weather. Friday and Saturday is focused on Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Friday is already under a slight risk.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 124718-1776883660021.png">A 30% chance for severe weather is already highlighted across portions of Oklahoma and Kansas for Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 075925-1776866372746.png">Sunday and Monday will remain active with the Storm Prediction Center keeping outlooks through the weekend and into early next week. By Monday, the threat shifts farther east into Tennessee and Alabama.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 080015-1776866449143.png">The next 7 days ahead has the risk for areas of heavy rainfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 045612-1776855390629.png">

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

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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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<h1>WHAT TO EXPECT</h1>A blast of cold air has brought freeze warnings across portions of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and East. Temperatures will drop sub-freezing for Tuesday morning. These temps can impact crops and sensitive vegetation with the potential to damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033536-1776764192555.png">Lows will be cold overnight! Tuesday morning starts out with temperatures in the 20s and 30s for some.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033649-1776764227460.png">There is even the potential for record lows to break on Tuesday morning with sub-freezing temperatures. The dots on the map are cities that could tie or break record lows.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033730-1776764265718.png">Some of these temperatures include the 20s for cities like Syracuse, NY which may break a record Tuesday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033759-1776764294595.png">The cold snap won't last long, as by Wednesday temperatures will rebound back to above average.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033843-1776764338209.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033911-1776764364505.png">

First Batch of Rain & Snow for California Ending Today

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts

Severe Storm Threat Reloads Across Plains with Hail, Wind, and Tornado Risk

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

First Batch of Rain & Snow for California Ending Today

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts

Severe Storm Threat Reloads Across Plains with Hail, Wind, and Tornado Risk

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

First Batch of Rain & Snow for California Ending Today

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts