Kevin Schneider

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More record high temperatures were broken across the northern U.S. on Tuesday. Some highs hit nearly 80° in Nebraska.The ridge of high pressure will continue to push east, bringing the heat east through the week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 161437-1771370084805.png">More record high temperatures will be possible through Friday as the heat builds east.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 161528-1771370135856.png">Temperatures to the south will push towards the 80s Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 161658-1771370241504.png">The warmest temperatures this week will be Thursday across the Southeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 161645-1771370276312.png">The southern Plains will also be feeling the anomalous warmth, helping to increase the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/active-weather-weekend-ahead">severe weather threat</a> there over the next couple of days. Confidence is very high in spring-like warmth sticking around as we head deeper into February. The chance for thunderstorms in a more spring-like pattern will continue along with it!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-16 155808-1771282694841.png">Through late February and early March, there is a high confidence that above average temperatures will stick around.

Taban Sharifi

Weirdly Warm February on the Plains

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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!

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CALIFORNIA - The state of California has been impacted by our first frontal boundary that prompted severe warnings, flash flood warnings, heavy mountain snow, and gusty winds. The next of a series of fronts moves onshore over the next day or so to add more to all of the previous totals.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2023502650579284209" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2023502650579284209"></div><h1>Heavy Rain &amp; Flooding Threat</h1>Flash flooding is looking possible through Tuesday across portions of Southern California, including Los Angeles. Numerous Flash Flood Warnings have already been issued across Southern California on Monday, but the rain should be spread out enough to avoid many additional issues after Tuesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160340-1771369425663.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2023476221364084906" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2023476221364084906"></div><h1>SEVERE</h1>Late Tuesday morning, the Storm Prediction Center added in another marginal risk for severe storms, with damaging winds being the primary threat. However, like Monday, a few short-lived tornadoes will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 102439-1771349094764.png"><h1>Timing</h1>Rain and snow look likely off and on into Thursday as another strong trough arrives, especially on Tuesday from the Bay Area up to the Donner Pass, where another corridor on intense rain and snow looks to move in.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/02171-1771369495951.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Heavy Snow</h1>Winter weather alerts have been issued for much of California through Wednesday.<ul><li>2000-2500 feet: up to one foot</li><li>2500-3500 feet: one to two feet</li><li>3500 feet and above: four to eight feet</li><li>wind gusts up to 45-55 mph</li></ul><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160507-1771369512251.png">Travel could be impossible in some spots with the high snowfall rates and winds. Snowfall totals could surpass 4-5 feet in some areas, like Mammoth Mountain. Resorts around Lake Tahoe could also see 4-5 feet, including I-80 and the Donner Pass. The heavy snowfall rates will make mountain travel impossible at times.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160523-1771369533201.png">Even the mountains in Southern California will see heavy snowfall developing this afternoon and evening. Travel will be very difficult at times through early Thursday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160527-1771369538551.png">

Monster Storm System Walloping California

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ROCKIES - Widespread winter alerts remain in place across the four corners for additional snowfall for the region. Some parts of Utah and Colorado have already seen over half a foot of snowfall. More is on the way.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 155618-1771368982798.png">On and off rain and snow showers are expected to continue through much of the week, dropping feet of snow for some areas in the Rockies.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/0217-1771369170131.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Snowfall totals could reach 1 to 3 feet in the higher elevations through Thursday morning. The system's track from the Southwest will favor upslope snow in SW Utah and Colorado, increasing totals there, such as Telluride.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 155947-1771369192716.png">Most ski resorts can expect at least 6-12" through Thursday morning, with some seeing up to two feet!Stay tuned to WeatherNation for the latest updates.

Rounds of Snow Return to the Rockies

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Fire outlooks have been issued across the Front Range and the plains through Wednesday. The biggest concern lurks on through Tuesday night, with the Storm Prediction Center issuing a rare Extremely Critical fire weather outlook (above). Widespread Red Flag Warnings have been issued for the region, and that will expand further into Tuesday, some even lingering through Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160102-1771369268826.png">We are talking record-breaking heat potential with the warm daytime highs in the area. Warm weather will accompany a howling west wind into Tuesday, with some gusts surpassing 60 mph. That will help dry out an already dry atmosphere, pushing relative humidity percentages into the single digits by the afternoon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160151-1771369315610.png">Additional fire outlooks look to remain in place on Wednesday as yet another front drops in, kicking wind gusts up to 50-60 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160202-1771369326567.png">Some wind reports have hit 100 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 160216-1771369350334.png">

Wildfire Danger: Extreme Conditions

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The West Coast is hogging the active weather in the early part of the week, but it won't last forever. A wave moving onshore in the coming days will turn into another chance for severe storms later this week. But these could look a little different...<h1>SETUP</h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-16 103300-1771263199965.png">The disturbance in question will ripple through the Rocky Mountains, emerging sometime Thursday. That's not the issue-the chunk of energy is more than enough to cause trouble. Let's look at the other ingredients<h1>Moisture &amp; Instability</h1>As the system presses in from the west, a front will drive through some dew points well into the 50's and some 60's. That should be plenty of moisture to work with. That will provide ample unstable air to power severe chances.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-16 103446-1771263317488.png">So if it's all systems go, why are some models struggling to pop storms? Check out the latest run of our in-house model, which is hesitant to develop storms.<hr><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/02172-1771369980040.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>So what gives? Low-topped supercells are the biggest worry if storms manage to form. Those are storms that don't reach quite as high in the atmosphere, but still contain the ability to rotate. What happens in the evening is a little less certain-do we have enough thunderstorms to merge into a line? Or is the threat going to be limited to the daytime hour?<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 071106-1771337473956.jpg">Even with the uncertainty, the Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk for severe weather on Thursday:<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-17 161153-1771369917849.png">

Rounds of Snow Return to the Rockies

Wildfire Danger: Extreme Conditions

Next Shot at Severe Storms This Week

Weirdly Warm February on the Plains

Monster Storm System Walloping California

Rounds of Snow Return to the Rockies

Wildfire Danger: Extreme Conditions

Next Shot at Severe Storms This Week

Weirdly Warm February on the Plains

Monster Storm System Walloping California

Rounds of Snow Return to the Rockies

Wildfire Danger: Extreme Conditions

Next Shot at Severe Storms This Week