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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<p><strong>HIGH PLAINS</strong> - The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded to an<strong> ENHANCED</strong> risk for severe storms through tonight across portions of central and eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, and northwestern Iowa.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142411-1786393755969.png">This risk comes along with the threat for significant severe threats of very large hail greater than 2 inches in diameter for a few ionitial supercells and as these storms develop into clusters, the risk of damaging winds greater than 75+ mph are likely.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142442-1786393749549.png">Our in-house Baron model, favors the strongest storms beneath the low pressure system into the overnight hours across South Dakota and heading east-bound. So storms are likely to maintain, if not strengthen, through the overnight hours.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/08-10_rnc therough tuesday morning-1786393868544.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h2>Tuesday</h2><p>On Tuesday, the Storm Prediction Center has a <strong>SLIGHT </strong>risk (level 2 out of 5) for severe storms across the High Plains of North and South Dakota.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142450-1786393955928.png">These storms follow the stalled out boundary of the same system creating storms today. The jet stream will carry them east into the Midwest where the environment is slightly more favorable for robust thunderstorms that could produce damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/08-10_rnc bams3k tuesday-1786394019890.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h2>Wednesday</h2><p>On Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center has another<strong> SLIGHT</strong> risk (level 2 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms that includes portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, and northern Kansas.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142454-1786394058620.png">Despite multiple days in a row of severe weather chances, the flooding risk remains relatively low across these areas as the repeated severe chances in similar areas do not necessarily guarantee you rain in the exact same spots through Wednesday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 143549-1786394163228.png">Be sure to join us on WeatherNation for this story during :30 past the hour on your Central Regional Forecast.</p>

Repeated Severe Threat for the High Plains

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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<p>As a ridge of high pressure continues to dominate the Southwest and Southern Plains, disturbances will continue to ride around the ridge into the Midwest and Northeast, keeping these areas of the country stormy. A stationary front will provide the focus for storms over the next few days. The outlooks shift a bit each day (top of page), depending on where the front is located. Damaging winds and flooding are expected to be the primary hazards. A few isolated tornadoes are possible too!</p><h1>Outlooks</h1><p>Severe weather chances will remain around the Great Lakes, as jet stream energy and instability increase along the fronts. The SPC has maintained a <strong>SLIGHT</strong> risk for severe weather through tonight.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 140545-1786392523972.png">On Tuesday, the Storm Prediction Center has upgraded to an <strong>ENHANCED</strong> risk (level 3 out of 5) for severe weather across portions of the Midwest. This includes Chicago.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 140932-1786392607802.png"></p><h1>Forecast</h1><p>Storms are possible any time of day, but look more active from the afternoons well into the early mornings. As is the case with many summertime thunderstorms, large clusters of storms (MCSs) may form and persist well into the overnight hours. </p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/08-10_rne bams-1786392691393.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>With repeated rounds of storms the next few days, flash flooding will become a growing concern too. Some localized areas can expect 3 to 5+ inches of rainfall over the next few days! The crosshairs of the heaviest rain looks like it's slid eastward into West Virginia and western Pennsylvania.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 141159-1786392725877.png">With repeated rounds of storms the next few days, flash flooding will become a growing concern too. Some localized areas can expect 3 to 5+ inches of rainfall over the next few days! The crosshairs of the heaviest rain looks like it's slid eastward into West Virginia and western Pennsylvania.</p>

Series of Fronts Keeps the Midwest Stormy

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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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<p>A large area of high pressure continues to bring the heat across the United States.<strong> Extreme heat warnings </strong>and<strong> heat advisories</strong> are in effect across the western U.S. Find ways to stay cool and stay out of the sunshine.</p><h1>Southwest</h1><p>In the short term, temperatures stay quite hot for the Southwest today. However, the ridge will begin to build eastward across the Plains, which will cool this region's temperatures down to near-normal or below-average highs!</p><h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142039-1786393249291.png">Central U.S.</h2><p>The long-lasting heat dome is making its way back eastward into the Central and Southern Plains this week! Extreme Heat Warnings are in effect for parts of Missouri, along with many heat advisories. Highs will soar into the triple digits, feeling a few degrees hotter with the humidity. Make sure to find adequate ways to stay cool!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 141819-1786393272087.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 142133-1786393297783.png"></p>

Stifling Heat Slides East This Week

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<p>Aside from the two tropical storms that formed along the Gulf Coast, this year in the Atlantic has been fairly quiet. The lower-than-normal activity has been expected thanks to the major El Niño event that continues to build in the Pacific. While the season was <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/noaa-holds-steady-with-below-average-atlantic-hurricane-season-forecast"><strong><u>expected to have less activity than normal</u></strong></a>, it doesn't mean the Atlantic will be devoid of tropical activity.<br></p><h1>Atlantic</h1><p>The National Hurricane Center is watching two different waves off the West Coast of Africa this week. The favorite among the model guidance is the tropical wave still over Africa. Forecast models have been in solid agreement about the higher strength of this tropical wave, and its potential to develop, despite somewhat marginal environmental conditions. Forecast models in the long range take the wave north into the middle of the Atlantic, but with such long-range forecasts, there is little certainty to these solutions.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/atlantic gfs-1786392232697.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>People in the Caribbean and United States should be monitoring the progress of this system closely over the next few days.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-08 075458-1786197331248.png">The next storm on the list in the Atlantic this season is Cristobal (Crees-to-bal). The development of tropical waves in western Africa tends to increase greatly from August into September.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-08 075520-1786197341125.png"></p><h1>Pacific</h1><p>Not to be outdone, the Pacific has 3 different areas to monitor this week. The area of most concern could target Hawaii late week. This is the area that has a <strong>high </strong>chance of tropical developement.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 140439-1786392287589.png">Right now, it's too early to know exact impacts for Hawaii, but it's definitely something to watch over the coming days. With a strong El Niño, additional storms are expected, with above-average water temperatures extending well out near Hawaii. There is still some variation of the timing and direction of this system. Below is the side by side comparison of the GFS and Euro model. Notice the differences in timing and location.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot 2026-08-10 070029-1786366838100.png"></p>

Multiple Disturbances in the Atlantic & Pacific

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<h1><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202607">COURTESY: NCEI/NOAA</a></h1><h1><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202607"><strong><em><u>JULY 2026 TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPIATION ASSESSMENT</u></em></strong></a></h1><h2><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></h2><p><strong>Warmest on record:</strong> July 2026 averaged 76.9°F, the warmest month on record (1895–present) for the contiguous United States (CONUS).</p><p><strong>Widespread warmth:</strong> Above-average temperatures covered the entire CONUS, with all states ranking in the warmest third of their July temperature records and none ranking near or below average.</p><p><strong>Dry with regional flooding events:</strong> Despite below-average July precipitation for the CONUS as a whole, several regions experienced heavy rainfall, including major flash flooding events in the Texas Hill Country and eastern New York.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Alaska cool:</strong> Alaska had the coldest July average temperature since 2008.</p><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/Notable-Weathe-Climate-US-072026.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing locations of notable weather and climate events in July 2026 with text describing each event and title at top stating “Notable Weather and Climate Events: July 2026”." title="Map of the U.S. showing locations of notable weather and climate events in July 2026 with text describing each event and title at top stating “Notable Weather and Climate Events: July 2026”."></em></p><p><em>Map of the U.S. notable weather and climate events in July 2026.</em></p><h2><strong>Other Highlights:</strong></h2><h3><strong>Temperature</strong></h3><p>The average temperature for the CONUS in July was 76.9°F, 3.3°F above the 20th-century average. This was the warmest July—and warmest month—in the 132-year record, 0.1–0.2°F warmer than July 1936 and July 2012.</p><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/grid-ranks-tavg-202607.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing temperature percentiles for July 2026 with warmer areas in gradients of red and cooler areas in gradients of blue." title="Map of the U.S. showing temperature percentiles for July 2026 with warmer areas in gradients of red and cooler areas in gradients of blue.">July 2026 U.S. Mean Temperature Percentiles Map.</em></p><p>Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 89.5°F, 2.9°F above average, ranking as the sixth-warmest month on record for average high temperatures, while overnight minimum temperatures averaged 64.2°F, 3.7°F above average, ranking as the warmest month on record for average low temperatures, surpassing July 2022 by 0.7°F.</p><p>Above-average temperatures extended across the entire CONUS in July, with much-above-average temperatures observed throughout much of the interior West, Southwest, Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeast. All CONUS states were at least 1°F above their 20th-century average, with 13 states ranking among their five warmest Julys. Wyoming recorded its warmest July and warmest month on record, with temperatures 5.1°F above average and 0.9°F warmer than its previous July record set in 2007.</p><p>Alaska’s average temperature was 51.8°F, 0.9°F below the 1925–2000 average, ranking in the coolest third of the 102-year record. Below-average temperatures were observed across portions of the interior, as well as parts of the Alaska Peninsula and Panhandle.<br>Hawai’i’s average temperature was 69.4°F, 0.6°F above the 1991–2020 average, ranking in the middle third of the 36-year record. While overnight minimum temperatures were above- to much-above average across the island chain, daytime temperatures were near or below average for the month.</p><h3><strong>Precipitation</strong></h3><p>Total precipitation averaged across the CONUS in July was 2.55 inches, 0.23 inch below the 20th-century average, ranking in the driest third of the 132-year record.</p><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/grid-ranks-prcp-202607.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing precipitation percentiles for July 2026 with wetter areas in gradients of green and drier areas in gradients of brown." title="Map of the U.S. showing precipitation percentiles for July 2026 with wetter areas in gradients of green and drier areas in gradients of brown.">July 2026 U.S. Total Precipitation Percentiles.</em></p><p>Precipitation across the CONUS during July reflected a mix of wet and dry conditions. Below-average precipitation occurred across portions of the northern tier, including parts of the northern Rockies, northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Northeast, as well as parts of the southern Plains, Mississippi Valley, Central Gulf and Southeast. In contrast, pockets of above-average precipitation were observed across parts of the West and Southwest, central Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as portions of Texas, the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys, Mid-Atlantic and lower Northeast.</p><p>Alaska’s average precipitation was 4.30 inches in July, 1.02 inches above the 1925–2000 average, ranking in the wettest third of the 102-year record. Southern and southwestern portions of the state, including the Alaska Peninsula, received above-average to much-above-average precipitation, with Anchorage tying its highest July precipitation total on record. In contrast, portions of the Alaska Panhandle received below-average precipitation.</p><p>Hawaiʻi averaged 5.20 inches of precipitation in July, 0.56 inch above the 1991–2020 average, ranking in the wettest third of the 36-year record, despite localized regions that saw below-average totals. The year-to-date statewide precipitation total remained the wettest on record, with a January–July total of nearly five feet (59.82 inches), 25.43 inches above average (173.9% of normal).</p><h3><strong>Drought</strong></h3><p>According to the August 4 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="ext" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspx"><u>U.S. Drought Monitor</u></a>, about 48.5% of the CONUS was in drought, an increase of about 0.7 percentage points since the end of June. Drought persisted over much of the interior West, Southwest and Rockies, and expanded or intensified across parts of the Northwest, southern and northern Plains, Upper Midwest and far Northeast. In contrast, drought contracted or decreased in intensity across portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and much of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic region. In Puerto Rico, more than two-thirds of the island was in drought, with more than one-third classified as severe drought or worse.</p>

Stifling Heat Slides East This Week

Multiple Disturbances in the Atlantic & Pacific

July 2026: Warmest Month on Record for Contiguous U.S.

Repeated Severe Threat for the High Plains

Series of Fronts Keeps the Midwest Stormy

Stifling Heat Slides East This Week

Multiple Disturbances in the Atlantic & Pacific

July 2026: Warmest Month on Record for Contiguous U.S.

Repeated Severe Threat for the High Plains

Series of Fronts Keeps the Midwest Stormy

Stifling Heat Slides East This Week

Multiple Disturbances in the Atlantic & Pacific

July 2026: Warmest Month on Record for Contiguous U.S.