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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CALIFORNIA - The rain across California will continue through Wednesday. There is still another foot of snow expected across the Sierra Nevada Mountains before conditions dwindle. This is good news as drought has returned to the state following the historic heatwave in March. As the low moves eastward midweek, more moisture should increase across the Rocky Mountain states.Winter Storm Warnings remain in place for portions of the Sierra Nevada through Wednesday. Generally, 12-18 inches above 5000 feet will be likely, but up to 2 feet along the highest mountain peaks is likely. Down at the lake level, 2" of snow is possible. In addition to the Sierra Alerts, winter weather advisories were issued in Northern California near Mount Shasta for 5-10 inches of snow and winds to 45 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 173354-1776814439595.png">There is also an isolated threat for heavy rainfall across Northern California, the Bay Area, all the way down through Santa Barbara.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 173409-1776814455161.png">More on this forecast can always be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

Alana Cameron

Rain & Snow for the West Coast

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<h1>SOUTHEAST</h1>Over 97% of the Southeast is in moderate to exceptional drought. These dry conditions have been one of many factors increasing the fire threat across the southeast. This is the driest this area has been since the year 2000.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 160005-1776808816286.png">Over the next few days, we can see gusty conditions combined with the drought, which will aid any fires that start rapidly! An ELEVATED to CRITICAL risk for fire danger remains in place across Florida through tonight. If you are in a local burn ban, please use caution and obey!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155524-1776808530231.png">The Railroad fire is a current fire we are tracking across Clay County, FL. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 104423-1776789878347.png"><h1>CENTRAL PLAINS</h1> An ELEVATED to CRITICAL risk for fire danger is in effect for the Plains Wednesday. These areas are dealing with incredibly dry conditions, increasing drought, gusty conditions, and warmer than normal temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155702-1776808628998.png">Cities like Denver, CO and Albuquerque, NM will have humidity levels down to just 3% on Wednesday. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155744-1776808697454.png">More details can be found live on WeatherNation throughout the hour.

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

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Already looking ahead to the end of the week and into the weekend, the Storm Prediction Center has outlined areas of the Plains to the South for severe weather. Friday and Saturday (above) is focused on Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. By Sunday and Monday, storms will carry on across the Plains and begin to stretch over to the Southeast. Cities like Birmingham, AL and Nashville, TN are highlighted for the threat of severe weather.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155131-1776808410231.png">Multiple troughs traverse across the country, keeping the pattern active for numerous days in a row.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155404-1776808455316.png">The next 7 days ahead has the risk for areas of heavy rainfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155339-1776808437686.png">

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

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While the severe thunderstorm risk ends with the latest system pushing off the Atlantic Coast, another potent upper trough will move into the middle states by the middle of next week. The Storm Prediction Center is already highlighting an area of potential severe weather forming along a dryline Wednesday through Thursday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 154503-1776807916283.png">The risk for Wednesday will be a marginal threat. There's a window of a few hours will storms will be possible.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04212-1776808159527.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>There is a slight risk issued by the Storm Prediction Center. Below is the latest on the timing of these storms. It looks like storms will fire up around 6 p.m. and carry on into the evening.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/0421-1776808100249.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Within that risk, there is a highlighted threat for significant severe storms. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 154426-1776807889756.png">

Dryline Thunderstorms: Wed-Thu

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Originally born in Spokane, Washington,  Jackie's Dad was in the Air Force which led her to a life of travel. She has lived in Wichita, Okinawa, Japan, Baltimore, New Jersey, Indiana and South Carolina.  After graduating from Kadena High School, in Okinawa Japan, she got a full basketball scholarship to Coppin State College. On the court she was a 4-year starter and reached over 1000 points in her basketball career. She was also named Athlete of the Year for the whole university in 2002. Off the court, she earned a degree in Broadcast Production/English.

After college, she landed a job as a radio personality. Jackie went on to have a successful career for 12 years working at KXLY broadcast center. While on the radio, she decided to change career. Jackie went back to school, graduating from the Mississippi State Meteorology Broadcast Program. From snow, to tornadoes, to hurricanes, she has had experience forecasting all these events.

Jackie Brown

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<h1>WHAT TO EXPECT</h1>A blast of cold air has brought freeze warnings across portions of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and East. Temperatures will drop sub-freezing for Tuesday morning. These temps can impact crops and sensitive vegetation with the potential to damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033536-1776764192555.png">Lows will be cold overnight! Tuesday morning starts out with temperatures in the 20s and 30s for some.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033649-1776764227460.png">There is even the potential for record lows to break on Tuesday morning with sub-freezing temperatures. The dots on the map are cities that could tie or break record lows.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033730-1776764265718.png">Some of these temperatures include the 20s for cities like Syracuse, NY which may break a record Tuesday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033759-1776764294595.png">The cold snap won't last long, as by Wednesday temperatures will rebound back to above average.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033843-1776764338209.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033911-1776764364505.png">

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Dryline Thunderstorms: Wed-Thu

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts

Rain & Snow for the West Coast

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Dryline Thunderstorms: Wed-Thu

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts

Rain & Snow for the West Coast

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

Dryline Thunderstorms: Wed-Thu

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts