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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As anticipated, severe weather was widespread from the Midwest through the Great Plains on Friday, including over 20 reports of tornadoes. The storms also produced widespread reports of very large hail and destructive winds.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776480963803.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776480984502.png">The cold front that generated the severe storms in the Midwest and Southern Plains on Friday will keep moving east into the Ohio Valley on Saturday. The front will interact with more unstable and showers and storms could quickly turn severe. All modes of severe weather will be in the forecast, but the damaging winds and hail will be the primary weather threats. Isolated tornadoes are possible for the areas below.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 043631-1776508603955.png"><h1>Timing</h1>While rain looks to continue through the morning, afternoon heating should provide enough energy for storms to surge into severe strength once again. Scattered severe storms look possible, with a general downtrend in intensity of storms through the late evening into the overnight. Rain and snow (yes, snow) will shift farther east on Sunday with the front, keeping precipitation in the forecast for quite a few east coast residents. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-18 04-37-14-1776508746880.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rain totals could surpass an inch or two, especially form western PA into NY. Isolated flooding is possible. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 043845-1776508737883.png">Get the latest forecast for the East with the WeatherNation app anytime - or tune into our broadcast at :10 past the hour!

Severe Storms Shift East on Saturday

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Meteorologist Jesse Kelley is excited to join the talented staff at Weather Nation. Jesse spent most of his childhood in Birmingham, Alabama. The state of Alabama is prone to seeing various types of weather from severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and winter weather. For college, Jesse attended the University of South Alabama where he received his degree in Broadcast Meteorology along with minors in Math and Geography. From Alabama, Jesse started his broadcast television working three years at KAVU-TV in Victoria. Recently, he finished a stint in Shreveport, LA. Jesse and his wife are looking forward to making the Rocky Mountains and Colorado home. If you would like to follow me, you can follow me on Twitter @JesseKelleywx and on Facebook at Meteorologist Jesse Kelley.

Jesse Kelley

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After a quiet weekend, the next upper level low pressure moves in from Alaska. With the close proximity of the low just hanging off the coast, rain and snow chance will be increasing for Southern Oregon and Northern California!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776454572613.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Heavy rain will be possible for Northern California especially Monday and Tuesday where a few inches will possible. As colder air drops for the Sierra, some snow chances will be possible too. Again this is good news as drought has returned to the state following the historic heatwave in March. As the low moves eastward midweek, more moisture should increase across the Rocky Mountain states. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776454814929.png">In the next week and half, the pattern should stay stormy which means more potential for snow and rain chances for California and the rest of the West. Temperatures will be slightly cooler than normal!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776454908334.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776454930131.png">

Patrick Crawford

Active Week Ahead for the West Coast

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Kevin Schneider

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High pressure has been dominant on the East Coast this week, felling numerous records from Monday through Friday. After another slew of records were broken yesterday, several more could fall on Saturday before temperatures plummet into Sunday and Monday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776481393761.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776481433087.png">Saturday will be a warm afternoon in the South and Mid Atlantic region. The record warmth is fueling severe storms but the cold front will put that to bed again early next week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 063738-1776515871313.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 063743-1776515877742.png"><h3>Fire Danger</h3>With this kind of warmth, fire concerns increase. Hot, dry conditions can quickly dry out soils and vegetation, creating more fuel for fires. Again on Saturday, there is an elevated threat of fire danger from Maryland down to the Gulf Coast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776481632957.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776481651724.png">

Last Day of East Coast Record Heat, Big Cool Down on the Way

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COLORADO - An estimated 70+ car pileup happened on Colorado's I-70 near the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel earlier on Tuesday, April 14th. Light snow was being reported throughout the day. I-70 was closed well into Tuesday evening, but has since been reopened.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044230476697674132" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044230476697674132"></div>A frontal boundary is moving across the Northern Rockies. As a result, widespread winter weather alerts are in place for higher elevations across the Northwest.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/PIC 3-1776437893436.jpg">This system is expected to reach Utah by tonight and much of Colorado by Friday. This next round of snow for Colorado looks to bring snow levels lower, down to the I-25 corridor.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/FORECAST-1776437807033.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Snowfall totals will vary by elevation, but mountainous areas could pick up a foot of snow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/PIC 2-1776437841942.jpg">The air will feel much cooler over the next few days. Numerous areas are under frost and freeze alerts.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368815559.png">In true Colorado fashion, Denver's nighttime lows will drop into the 20s and 30s after a mild start on Thursday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368844993.png">More details on this forecast can be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

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UPPER MIDWEST and GREAT LAKES - Three straight days of destructive severe storms moved through Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wednesday, NWS Kansas City confirmed two EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes that hit the city of Clinton, MO. Check out the video below of the tornado knocking over a fuel tanks.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/VO_041626_RNC_CLINTON, MO_AWESOME CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE TORNADO VORTICE &amp; KNOCKS OVER LARGE CYLINDERS_FB_MS_E041626-1776367783604.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 073701-1776346632507.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044202476317093912" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044202476317093912"></div><h2>Overnight</h2>Storms are expected to continue to weaken as we have lost daytime heating. Some rough storms still remain possible across Arkansas and Tennessee that could produce some damaging winds and hail. An isolated severe storm or two is also possible for New England.<h1>Timing</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776392246151.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>With multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms in the same areas, this may lead to an isolated to scattered flooding risk across the Great Lakes region. Be prepared for flooding, especially if you still have some snow on the ground; frozen ground can take longer to absorb flood waters compared to unfrozen ground. Flood alerts continue into Friday with the next round of severe storms in the forecast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368095919.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368119393.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044599476434907195" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044599476434907195"></div>

Last Day of East Coast Record Heat, Big Cool Down on the Way

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

Severe Storms Leave a Mark on the Great Lakes

Severe Storms Shift East on Saturday

Active Week Ahead for the West Coast

Last Day of East Coast Record Heat, Big Cool Down on the Way

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

Severe Storms Leave a Mark on the Great Lakes

Severe Storms Shift East on Saturday

Active Week Ahead for the West Coast

Last Day of East Coast Record Heat, Big Cool Down on the Way

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

Severe Storms Leave a Mark on the Great Lakes