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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Two sprawling storm systems are tracking from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, bringing prolonged periods of heavy rain, severe&nbsp;thunderstorms,&nbsp;and flooding concerns to much of the country. The multi-day weather pattern began in the Southwest and is gradually shifting east,&nbsp;impacting&nbsp;more than 30 states from the Plains to the East Coast.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 06-26-30-1767792414178.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Outlooks &amp; Timing</h1>The first storm system developed over the Four Corners region, spreading rain across parts of Arizona and New Mexico before intensifying as it moved into the Southern Plains. As the system advances, widespread rain is expected across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley, with thunderstorms developing along and ahead of a cold front. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk (Level 2 out of 5) for Thursday's storms, with an increased wind and tornado threat in eastern OK. Earlier this morning, a few tornadoes did touch down in Oklahoma producing damage. We are awaiting more information on the strength of these tornadoes.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767928458356.png"><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/New Baron Video 3-1767928573554.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Friday, a second storm system is expected to reinforce the unsettled pattern. Friday's outlook covers areas from east Texas through Kentucky, with a level 2 (slight) risk from Baton Rouge to Nashville, which means storms are expected to be slightly more widespread, stronger, and could last longer. All modes of severe weather (wind, hail, and tornadoes) will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767900148522.png">Warm and moist air is expected to remain in place as the next trough begins to mature, with storms targeting the Mississippi Valley. By the early afternoon, daytime heating will help increase instability enough to lead to scattered severe storms developing. Those storms are expected to intensify through the late afternoon hours, with some persisting into the evening and overnight. This will likely include a tornado threat, so be sure to review your tornado safety plan and have multiple ways to get severe weather alerts that can wake you up.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/New Baron Video 3-1767900311040.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Rain &amp; Flooding</h1>Rainfall rates will increase significantly on Friday across the south, with 1-2" per hour possible, possibly more. This means some areas could receive 4-6 inches in a short period of time, which could lead to flash flooding. A Flood Watch has been issued for parts of the South into Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767900399535.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767900428811.png">The WPC has issued a level 2 outlook for excessive rainfall (flash flooding) for Friday, with areas from Middle/East Tennessee into northern Alabama and Mississippi mostly likely to see flooding develop. If you live in a flood-prone location, review your flooding plan to seek higher ground if flood waters threaten.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767900464846.png">Catch updates during our top weather headlines (:00, :20, :40 past the hour) or get the latest regional update for the East and Central U.S. at :10 and :30 past the hour.

Severe Storms Target the South Through the Weekend

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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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The Northeastern U.S. has been one of the more active regions of the country so far this winter in terms of ice and snow, with plenty piling up around the Great Lakes and into New England. A warmer system is expected to track through the Northeast as we end the week, followed by a colder weekend system that is expected to bring back ice and snow.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/New Baron Video 3-1767899641869.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The first low-pressure system will be accompanied by near-record warmth, leading to mostly rain falling on Friday. By Saturday, colder air returns to the I-90 corridor, allowing higher elevations to see a mix of ice and sleet, with lower elevation rain. Heading into Sunday, much cooler air develops in northwesterly flow, allowing for light snow to fall, though it looks to mostly impact areas closer to the Great Lakes versus the I-95 corridor. There's still lots of time for this forecast to change - so check back in with us! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-08 172117-1767918091496.png">Freezing rain and sleet forecasts are potentially significant for some areas into Saturday, with northern New York and New England dealing with slick conditions and accretions of ice. This forecast will change considerably, so be sure to get an update before the end of the week!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767928767314.png">Snow will mostly be on the lighter side with pockets of moderate rainfall (1-2" on the high end). Flash flooding is not expected, but some nuisance flooding (ponding on roadways) is possible. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 133637-1767818283288.png">Temperatures will be quite warm with the first two waves of low pressure, before the cold front arrives Sunday into Monday. Get the latest in the Northeast in the East Regional Forecast anytime with the WeatherNation app - or tune in live at :10 past the hour!

Another Round of Ice and Snow for the Northeast This Weekend

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Brittany Lockley

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It has been one year since the Palisades and Eaton fires burned through local communities in Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025. The lasting impacts are still being felt across the region, both on the ground and in the atmosphere. The fires took 31 lives and burned down 18,000 buildings and homes.&nbsp;The fires ignited during a period of extreme fire weather, fueled by prolonged drought, critically low humidity, and strong offshore winds. The Palisades&nbsp;fire initially started with an open flame in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Firefighters were able to contain&nbsp;the flames above ground, but the fire continued to burn underground. At the time of ignition, relative humidity values dropped into the single digits, while wind gusts frequently exceeded 40 to 60 mph, creating ideal conditions for the rapid spread of the fire. The National Weather Service even issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation for these fires. These factors allowed flames to move miles in just hours, overwhelming containment efforts during the initial stages. The Palisades fire grew to 23,707 acres.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 041825-1767784832298.png">The Eaton Fire ignited in Altadena shortly after the Palisades Fire. In this fire, close to 10,000 homes were destroyed and 19 lives were lost, as the fire ravaged 14,021 acres by the time of its containment on January 31, 2024.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 04-18-40-1767784809714.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall deficits leading up to the fires played a major role in their intensity. Many areas had received less than 50 percent of their average precipitation over the previous 6 to 12 months, resulting in exceptionally dry vegetation. Live fuel moisture levels were near record lows for late season, and energy release components, an index used to measure potential fire intensity, were well above climatological averages. &nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 040748-1767784265056.png">Once the fires were established, towering smoke plumes injected particulates high into the atmosphere, degrading air quality across hundreds of miles and prompting repeated air quality alerts as fine particulate concentrations surged well above health-based thresholds.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2025-12_2025-01-09_g18_abi_meso_geocolor-fires-1767898580832.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>In the aftermath, the weather continued to complicate recovery. The first significant rain events following the fires produced short bursts of heavy rainfall, falling on soils unable to absorb water efficiently. Rainfall rates of just a half inch per hour were enough to trigger runoff, mudslides, and debris flows within burn scars. Damaging roads and infrastructure months after the flames were extinguished. Emergency managers were forced to pivot from wildfire response to managing the floods, highlighting the compound risks associated with extreme weather.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 091018-1767802242571.png">A year later, both fires are on California's most destructive fires list. Weather and climate data show early signs of ecological recovery, but also ongoing vulnerability. Native grasses and shrubs have begun to return, aided by winter&nbsp;rainfall.&nbsp;The Palisades and Eaton fires now serve as a stark example of how weather extremes, heat, wind, drought, and heavy rainfall are reshaping wildfire behavior. &nbsp;

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

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If you were tired of dusting off the old snow shovel up north, you might want to avert your eyes. We have several waves impacting the Central U.S., with snow expected in the Plains and Midwest!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 06-29-19-1767792578447.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Temperature Drop</h1>After the first low moves through on Thursday, temperatures are going to drop dramatically! This will set the stage for the second wave, where it'll have far cooler temperatures to work with, meaning ideal conditions for snow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/pic6-1767911057592.png">Wind chill values will also be impacted by these two waves, dropping some of these temperatures to well below zero.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web3-1767794539082.png"><h1>Forecast and Timing</h1>With relatively warmer temperatures ahead of the first wave, whether or not you get snow, rain, or even freezing rain will depend on how far north and west you are. Rain will likely start to change to sleet and snow around I-35 in Minnesota Thursday evening, with this band of wintry weather pushing across Northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan overnight. As that first low clears to the east, the next round of snow will begin to develop Friday afternoon in the Upper-Midwest along the base of a trough. As gulf moisture meets this trough, widespread snow is expected to develop around the Great Lakes and Upper-Midwest. Snow will wrap around the low as it gradually moves across the Great Lakes through Sunday morning.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/New Baron Video 3-1767902081871.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Areas east of the Dakotas are expecting 1-3 inches of snow, with some areas expected 3-6 inches (dark blue into purple color). Heaviest snow is expected around the Great Lakes in northern Michigan and eastern Wisconsin.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1767902125183.png">For the latest in the Central Region, tune in live at :30 past the hour or get it on demand anytime with the WeatherNation app!

Patrick Crawford

Rounds of Snow Returning to the Midwest

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Tracey Anthony

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This first full week of January has brought many record highs across the country, with more expected through the end of the week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 184015-1767836452352.png">Even widespread record warm lows! Warm overnights will impact areas, from the Plains to the Northeast, many spots could have their warmest overnight lows on record for early January.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 184020-1767836461177.png">On Wednesday, more records fell across the country, including cities like Hattiesburg, MS, reaching 81 degrees!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174120-1767832887593.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174113-1767832892942.png">As the ridge shifts east and the trough moves in, some will see temperature drops as we head into the second half of the week. Some of us will still be feeling the springtime warmth for the next day or so.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web 2-1767882381286.png">Check out these forecasted temperatures for next week! We're looking at widespread highs of 20° or more above average again! Warm weather looks like it'll be a staple of January, with the Climate Prediction Center highlighting much of the lower 48 that could see above-average temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174240-1767832975087.png">

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

Rounds of Snow Returning to the Midwest

First Full Week of January Feeling Warm

Severe Storms Target the South Through the Weekend

Another Round of Ice and Snow for the Northeast This Weekend

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

Rounds of Snow Returning to the Midwest

First Full Week of January Feeling Warm

Severe Storms Target the South Through the Weekend

Another Round of Ice and Snow for the Northeast This Weekend

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

Rounds of Snow Returning to the Midwest

First Full Week of January Feeling Warm