Kevin Schneider

A021DDE71AA34C50BB5468289EA6B1D7jpeg-1699372868991.jpeg

A big warmup is taking hold across the eastern United States in the coming days, bringing temperatures that will feel more like midsummer than mid-May. Much of the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast saw temperatures surge into record-breaking territory as a strong area of high pressure settled over the region.&nbsp;Numerous records have fallen this Monday, including cities such as Philadelphia hitting 96!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 164000-1779144019073.png">RELATED: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-storms-possible-in-the-plains-midwest-to-end-the-week">Severe Chances on the Plains</a>High temperatures are forecast to climb into the 80s across many areas, while some cities could approach or even reach 90 degrees for the first time this year in the Northeast. For comparison, Washington, D.C. normally sees its first 95° high in the middle of June!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-03-29 061724-1779111019025.png">Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, may come close to daily temperature records if the heat intensifies enough. Some locations could end up 20 to 30 degrees warmer than what is typical for this time of year.&nbsp;This has prompted heat advisories through Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 164005-1779144051617.png"> Additional records are likely to fall through mid-week across the East before our central U.S. cold front draws in cooler air and stormy weather.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-03-29 061131-1779111010786.png">Despite the urge, stay out of the waters in the area. Many bodies of water are barely above freezing, which could shock the system into paralysis if you jump in<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 104353-1779122640973.png">The unusually warm pattern will come to an end after our front passes through Thursday. By the end of the week, many spots will be closer to seasonal norms in the 70's<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 104152-1779122551349.png">

Alana Cameron

Early Taste of Summer Heat Expands Across the East Coast

Screenshot20260329061107png-1779110980267.png

<h1>Forecast Outlooks</h1>A widespread severe weather outbreak is unfolding across parts of the central United States over the next several days, bringing the threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and flooding rain from the Plains into the Midwest. Through tonight, storms still appear to be the most intense, with the threat of strong tornadoes a real possibility. A MODERATE (level 4 out of 5) risk for severe weather will be in place as a result.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 145115-1779137492575.png">This includes the threat of long-track, violent tornadoes along with MASSIVE hailstones. Eventually, storms are expected to merge together, leading to more of a damaging wind threat.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 145103-1779137497491.png">The front will continue to dig into the east slowly but surely. There is a slight risk in place from the SPC as it moves into record hot temeratures. Damaging will be the easiest threat to realize, but a low-end tornado threat appears to be in the cards, especially in New England.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 050438-1779102440279.png"><h1>Timing</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/05-18 MOD HRRR-1779137590530.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Heavy rainfall will also be a growing concern throughout the event. Repeated rounds of thunderstorms may lead to flash flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas, especially where storms track over the same locations. Rainfall totals could add up quickly across parts of the Plains and Midwest before the system finally shifts eastward by the middle of next week. Tune into WeatherNation for more details.

MODERATE Risk (Level 4/5) for Severe Weather

Screenshot20260518144844png-1779137395181.png

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

TabanSharifijpeg-1679519287847.jpeg

ROCKIES - Winter alerts remain in place across the Rockies through tonight for a few additional inches of snow. So far, snowfall totals have measured up to over a foot in the Rocky Mountains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163241-1779143746024.png">The heaviest of this precipitation has been happening and will continue to slow down through Tuesday morning. Totals may still be heavier in the Rocky Mountains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163246-1779143794793.png">Behind this wintry and rainy weather temperatures will become their coolest through Tuesday morning. This has prompted frost and freeze alerts for Tuesday morning for the High Country. Be sure to protect any sensitive vegetation overnight if you want them to last this freeze!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163251-1779143843851.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163259-1779143848747.png">Check back in to WeatherNation for the latest.

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

Screenshot20260518163508png-1779143721262.png

Numerous fires have been burning from the panhandle to the western Plains. Through Tuesday morning, there is an extreme fire danger across these areas. This is the highest level of outlook that the Storm Prediction Center issues. The extreme risk is not often issued, and typically denotes conditions that could lead to the unstoppable spread of fires. Residents in these areas should review their evacuation plans and have a "go bag" ready with essential items like medications and important documents. Don't forget your pets!<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056368381826351245" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056368381826351245"></div>Red flag warnings (fire weather warnings) have been issued for many locations through tonight, including the Central Valley of California. Risks will be highest, however, in eastern New Mexico and parts of Western Texas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 084953-1779115820544.png">The fire danger weans as we head into Tuesday but remains at elevated levels for portions of Arizona and New Mexico.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 162935-1779143455125.png">Make sure you're prepared for fire danger and know all the ways to prevent a fire too.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 085121-1779115885540.png">

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

Screenshot20260518162929png-1779143378777.png

A potent setup, fueled by record hot temperatures, lead to destructive severe storms this past weekend. The worst of the days was easily Sunday, with over 300 reports of severe weather, including hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 110814-1779124204412.png">A strong tornado touched down in Nebraska as a part of the outbreak. Even with all of this damage, no injuries were reported Sunday afternoon. <div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056161399349580033" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056161399349580033?s=20"></div>Other places were spared tornado damage but picked up MASSIVE hailstones. It's not a surprise that the cell responsible for the damage in Palmer also produced the largest hailstone on the day.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 111222-1779124373927.png">All of this severe weather came on the heels of an active day to start off the weekend! Severe storms lead to baseball-plus-sized hail in Missouri and Kansas, and prompted a Flash Flood Emergency in the Trenton, MO area after 6+ inches of rain fell.

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

Severe Storms Leave Trail of Destruction on the Plains

Early Taste of Summer Heat Expands Across the East Coast

MODERATE Risk (Level 4/5) for Severe Weather

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

Severe Storms Leave Trail of Destruction on the Plains

Early Taste of Summer Heat Expands Across the East Coast

MODERATE Risk (Level 4/5) for Severe Weather

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

Severe Storms Leave Trail of Destruction on the Plains