Kevin Schneider

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The hottest temperatures of the year are looming later this week. An area of high pressure is loitering over Texas, but it will be on the move. And looks like it will get stronger. That means intense heat will build for many areas east of the Rocky Mountains later this week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 043604-1782556571201.png">Temperatures in the afternoons will soar through the 90's, with many threatening the century mark for the first time this year. We'll feel it first building into the Midwest, where ample humidity will make it feel even worse. Heat alerts have been issued for parts of the Central United States, and more alerts will be added over the next few days.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 115831-1782755951411.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 115957-1782756004346.png">Our high will then take aim at the northeast. By Wednesday and Thursday, highs will be in record territory. Ahead of this heat wave, it will still be above average, prolonging the exposure to the warm temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 120049-1782756056778.png">Heat index values are likely to reach the triple digits by Wednesday across New England and the Atlantic Coast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 115711-1782756033579.png">Heat waves become deadly when they are extended in duration, and complicated by overnight lows struggling to cool off enough. Be sure to mix in plenty of water, even with a holiday weekend coming up. Know the signs to look out for in friends and family.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 043943-1782556806519.png">

Alana Cameron

Dangerous Stretch of Heat Shaping Up This Week

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Early in the season, we watch closer to the coasts here at home for development in the Hurricane Season. Until the waves coming off the coast of Africa start to fly and quit losing the battle to Saharan Dust, old fronts are the leading source of development.Currently, a frontal boundary moving through the southeastern U.S. has prompted a marginal risk for severe weather across Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 115241-1782755662094.png">As this frontal system causes afternoon storms across these areas today and tomorrow, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring the potential for the associated low to turn tropical. It's currently only a 10% chance of tropical development.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 115113-1782755605432.png">Some models handle the process differently, but the one that leans more toward development is the European model. Here, it forms an area of low pressure around Monday and lingers offshore through the middle of the week. A longer time over water will give it a better chance to develop tropical characteristics.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 063519-1782563830977.jpg">Other models move whatever develops over the water back on land prior to anything becoming tropical. IF something were to be named, Bertha is the next name up on the list.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 063531-1782563982336.jpg">

Slow-Moving Front Could Turn Tropical This Week

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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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Photo: Iron Fire getting doused with a retardant drop. USFS <div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2070303528321737022" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2070303528321737022"></div>UTAH - Numerous wildfires continue to burn across Utah, scorching tens of thousands of acres across the state.One of the most significant fires is the Cottonwood Fire, which began on June 22, 2026, and has experienced rapid growth fueled by dry vegetation, gusty winds, and ongoing drought conditions. The fire more than doubled in size on Wednesday, growing from approximately 30,000 acres to more than 93,000 acres. According to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/fishlake/alerts/cottonwood-fire-closure-order">Fishlake National Forest</a>, the fire has prompted mandatory evacuation orders across portions of the region.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 120232-1782756198542.png">These fires are also sending smoke and hazardous air quality into Colorado. Air quality alerts are in effect across a large portion of the state, including Denver.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 120149-1782756222694.png"><h1>Fire Outlooks</h1>Winds are expected to back off through tonight before increasing on Tuesday. Fire weather outlook will still remain elevated.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 120222-1782756241451.png">Tuesday, however, the outlook will be raised to a critical risk. This is due to both the winds speeds kicking up, and relative humidity dropping slightly going into Tuesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 120226-1782756250787.png">Winds are expected to be strong and sustained at 20-30 mph for some areas, with very low humidity. That could mean ongoing fires could become erratic and unpredictable.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 043144-1782556311355.png">Residents are encouraged to stay informed, follow local evacuation orders, and do their part to help prevent the start and spread of wildfires this summer.

Massive Fires Burn in Utah, Extreme Fire Danger Continues

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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!

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A significant early-summer trough is digging across the western half of the country. Much cooler temperatures across the Northwest, along with increasing severe weather chances across the Great Plains, are expected this weekend.Some snowfall totals from Monday toppled a foot! All reports were found in the Northern Rockies and mostly across Montana!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 042114-1782728553795.png">Our forecast maintains high elevation snow being on the heavy side from time to time. Winter weather alerts remain in place through Monday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 042246-1782728588383.png"><h2>Severe Side</h2>As this upper-level low-pressure system pushes east, this cooler air mass is meeting a warmer air mass, raising severe weather concerns. Currently, the risk is at a level 2 (SLIGHT) risk for severe storms across the High Plains and Northern Plains for Monday.The highest risk for severe weather is in North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 042340-1782728676377.png">The timing of these storms drags them into that early afternoon hour. Strong hail producers across the Dakotas are possible Monday afternoon. There's also a potential for supercells that could produce tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds as well. Storms are expected to die off by the evening. However, some storms along the frontal boundary across the Upper Midwest, producing some damaging winds potentially.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-29 04-25-28-1782728754495.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The threat for severe weather continues along this frontal boundary through Tuesday with a SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk for severe storms from Colorado through Michigan.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-29 043018-1782729033184.png">

Adrian Hernandez

Northwestern Trough: From Snow to Severe

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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As Summer settles in across the Central U.S., MCSs, also known as Mesoscale Convective Systems, become more prevalent. These large clusters of thunderstorms can organize and persist for hours, travel hundreds of miles, and produce all modes of severe weather. The weather pattern over the next few days will favor repeated rounds of these storm complexes across the Plains &amp; Midwest.Strong and severe thunderstorms remain possible in the Mid South over the next few days as storms ride a ridge of high pressure. This will target the same areas through the end of the week to see severe weather. <h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/what-is-an-mcs">WHAT IS AN MCS: READ MORE HERE</a></h4><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/BARON 5-1782612588554.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>For the overnight, a few storms could still be severe across parts of the Ohio Valley before being steering into the Carolinas for Sunday. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 133648-1782589019330.png">These storms will dump rain on the same areas, increasing the risk of flooding in some of the same spots that already flooded earlier this week. For more on the flooding risk, read this <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-weather-returns-this-weekend">related article</a> on the flood potential.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/1-1782612765591.png">

Massive Fires Burn in Utah, Extreme Fire Danger Continues

Northwestern Trough: From Snow to Severe

'MCS' Season Brings Severe and Flooding Threats Across the Southeast

Dangerous Stretch of Heat Shaping Up This Week

Slow-Moving Front Could Turn Tropical This Week

Massive Fires Burn in Utah, Extreme Fire Danger Continues

Northwestern Trough: From Snow to Severe

'MCS' Season Brings Severe and Flooding Threats Across the Southeast

Dangerous Stretch of Heat Shaping Up This Week

Slow-Moving Front Could Turn Tropical This Week

Massive Fires Burn in Utah, Extreme Fire Danger Continues

Northwestern Trough: From Snow to Severe

'MCS' Season Brings Severe and Flooding Threats Across the Southeast