Patrick Crawford has always been a huge weather buff! He grew up in Plano, Texas, and it was there that he experienced what Mother Nature was capable of doing. He would always turn on the television to see what local meteorologists were saying about the weather. That's when he realized he wanted to be a meteorologist.

Patrick graduated from Northern Illinois University (’04) with a degree in Meteorology and a double minor in Mathematics and Geography. Broadcast Meteorology has been great to him and he has been able to work in television markets all across the country. Some of his stops have included New Orleans, Green Bay and even Yuma, Arizona. He is so excited to be part of the WeatherNation team.

He has been awarded the prestigious CBM (Certified Broadcast Meteorologist) weather seal from the American Meteorological Society.

Feel free to catch up with Patrick Crawford on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeteorologistPC/">Facebook</a> and on <a href="https://twitter.com/MeteorologistPC">Twitter</a> pages.

Patrick Crawford

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A strong ridge of high pressure building over the Western U.S. will bring warm, dry, and windy weather conditions. This will set up a strong fire weather risk for the next few days. Outdoor activities that could spark or ignite should be avoided over the next few days. Here is a look at the forecast.<h1>Fire Weather Alerts</h1><h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/pic5-1773244677029.png">FIRE OUTLOOK</h1><h3>WEDNESDAY</h3>The fire weather outlook is in the elevated category today. This will be anywhere from the Plains of Nebraska down to Western Texas. <h3><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/pic6-1773242866601.png">THURSDAY</h3>The fire weather outlook for Thursday shows strong intensity. Critical outlooks have been issued for parts of Nebraska and Colorado. Also, down to New Mexico and Texas, we could see critical fire conditions.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/pic4-1773243233062.png">Fire weather conditions should begin to improve this weekend. It is always important to know some tips on how to prevent fires, so here are some tips.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/pic4-1773244322444.png">

Jackie Brown

Fire Weather Risk for the Plains Wednesday and Thursday

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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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On the heels of an active opening week to Meteorological Spring, another threat of severe weather will be in the cards yet again for Wednesday. With plenty of unstable air to tap into, as this system chugs East, the threat for severe weather persists. The Storm Prediction center has issued a SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk for severe weather from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast.Hail is another big concern. More widespread, 1" in diameter hail is possible, but many locations could also encounter 2" in diameter hailstones Tuesday. Some portions of Texas and Illinois have already seen hailstones over 3.5", which is in between the size of a softball and teacup.RELATED ARTICLE: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/destructive-tornadoes-hail-rip-through-central-us">Destructive Tornadoes, Hail Rip Through Central U.S.</a>A SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk remains in place following the cold front through Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-11 113008-1773250226435.png">We'll have another outlook for significant severe weather for Wednesday as well. This time, however, calling for the potential for strong tornadoes in the highlighted areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-11 113035-1773250240756.png">Strong storms have swept across the Nation's heartland bring dangerous hail, strong tornadoes, and heavy rain. Additional storms will continue overnight so it's important to not let your guard down.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/03112-1773250315312.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Tune in to WeatherNation live for the very latest.

Jesse Kelley

Significant Severe Weather Threatens Again Wednesday

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/we1-1773228612033.png">After the Storm Prediction Center upgraded parts of Illinois and Indiana to a Moderate (Level 4/5) Risk on Tuesday, destructive severe storms ripped through the heart of the country. A large supercell on the ground for up to 45 minutes produce a large and dangerous tornado in the town of Kankakee, IL. Our field crews were on the ground to capture it as it happened:<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2031517397438624249" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2031517397438624249"></div>This tornado, causing loads of damage in it's wake. First responders worked tirelessly, picking up debris and searching for survivors in the aftermath. Loads of footage came out of this tornado, many of them heartbreaking to see.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2031730530631434633" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2031730530631434633?s=20"></div>A highly unstable atmosphere lead to strong updrafts creating large hail with severe storms. Hail stones the size of softballs and larger were reported in Texas and Illinois.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-11 082436-1773239081623.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/AAA_WEB5-1773228556681.png">A hailstone from the Kankakee, IL supercell looks likely to be state records, and could challenge national records for biggest hail. The photo posted by a Kankakee resident looks to be upwards of 7-8 inches in diameter! The stone will have to be examined to determine if it breaks the record set by hail from Vivian, South Dakota from 2010 that measured 8 inches.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-11 115507-1773251922303.png">Severe Storms is still expected to impact millions today as this system works it's way east. Read the latest details here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/another-round-of-severe-weather-likely-next-week">Severe Threat Wednesday</a><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2031525994843214069" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2031525994843214069"></div>

Rob Bradley

Destructive Tornadoes, Hail Rip Through Central U.S.

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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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NORTHWEST - Blizzard warnings have been issued for the mountains of the Pacific Northwest for today and tomorrow. The reason? A ridge of high pressure over the Pacific Ocean is funneling in an atmospheric river of moisture into the Pacific Northwest through tonight and tomorrow. High moisture content will lead to heavy rain and snow for these areas and winds will be very high too.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-11 05-42-53-1773229398869.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Blizzard warnings are issued when winds are greater than 35 mph, visibility less than 1/4 of a mile, and lasting for 3 hours. Additional winter weather alerts have been added for the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/web1'-1773229475628.png">In addition to these winter weather alerts, wind alerts have been issued for the northwest for gusts up to 50-60 mph with locally higher gusts.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Web2-1773229526282.png">Let's time this out, as a warm front pushes through, moisture will pick up in the Pacific northwest saturating the soils and lashing with winds. The heaviest of the precipitation picks up on Wednesday before the frontal boundary continues to push inland into Thursday and Friday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-11 05-45-53-1773229585652.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Moisture content with this is extremely high, which will lead to very high snowfall totals.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 144721-1773175657342.png">Some of the heaviest rain is expected across portions of Oregon and southern Washington. Some totals through the end of the week will surpass 6-10 inches of rain.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 144725-1773175661483.png">For more information about this, be sure to join us at :50 past the hour during your west regional forecast.

Tracey Anthony

Blizzard Warnings Issued for the Northwest

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A ridge of high pressure is bringing unseasonably warm temperatures across much of the United States, sending temperatures above average. Another ridge moves back into the West by late week, keeping temperatures soaring.Tuesday was another day of record breaking temperatures across the southern U.S. and Northeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 163807-1773182307838.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 163803-1773182321171.png">Numerous records remain possible through Wednesday across the Eastern U.S.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 163852-1773182350633.png">Later in the week, high pressure sets up back on the West Coast, bringing temperatures soaring. Many potential records are likely to fall through the end of the week. Cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix could breaks records for multiple days in a row.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 110511-1773162437821.png">New heat advisories have been added to the west coast. There is a high risk of heat illness for most of the population on Thursday and Friday as temperatures peak 20-30 degrees above normal.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 144548-1773175565838.png">Temperatures will be in the 90s for many areas across the Southwest!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-10 164007-1773182414170.png">Highs will warm into the 80's and 90s, which will start to threaten records starting Thursday in places like Los Angeles<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/we3b1-1773229107939.png">

Destructive Tornadoes, Hail Rip Through Central U.S.

Blizzard Warnings Issued for the Northwest

Record-Breaking Heat Sweeps From Coast to Coast

Fire Weather Risk for the Plains Wednesday and Thursday

Significant Severe Weather Threatens Again Wednesday

Destructive Tornadoes, Hail Rip Through Central U.S.

Blizzard Warnings Issued for the Northwest

Record-Breaking Heat Sweeps From Coast to Coast

Fire Weather Risk for the Plains Wednesday and Thursday

Significant Severe Weather Threatens Again Wednesday

Destructive Tornadoes, Hail Rip Through Central U.S.

Blizzard Warnings Issued for the Northwest

Record-Breaking Heat Sweeps From Coast to Coast