Brittany Lockley

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Air Quality Alerts are in effect across a broad swath of the Midwest, impacting over 100 million Americans as thick smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the region. States under the alert include Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and northern Indiana. Major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Detroit are all experiencing dangerously poor air quality conditions.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 051644-1754047030195.jpg">The front the passed through brought cooler and drier conditions, however, it also brought the winds coming down out of the North. This is the primary cause of this rapid decline in air quality, as a new wave of wildfire smoke drifting southward from multiple blazes burning across the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba. These fires have been active throughout the summer, and this is not the first time their smoke has reached the U.S. This latest plume began sweeping into the Upper Midwest on Thursday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-01 05-33-23-1754048031318.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The Air quality index (AQI) in parts of Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois is<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Day1SVR-1754071462210.png"> in the "unhealthy" category for Friday. The "unhealthy" designation on the AQI scale indicates that the air quality is poor and may pose health risks, especially for sensitive groups.People with preexisting conditions such as asthma or heart disease are especially vulnerable. Health officials recommend staying indoors, limiting physical activity, and using air purifiers if available.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 053220-1754047973977.jpg">Conditions will gradually improve by Saturday as wind patterns shift and help disperse the smoke. Tune into WeatherNation TV for more details.

Patrick Crawford

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Triggers Air Quality Alerts Across Upper Midwest

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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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While the Atlantic Basin remains quiet, an impressive Kelvin Wave (a large-scale lift zone) has recently spurred the development of numerous tropical systems in the Eastern and Central Pacific. While Keli has dissipated, it's remnants are combining with Iona to generate gusty winds and big waves around Hawaii.<h1>Central Pacific &amp; Hawaii</h1>Iona strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane Tuesday morning, with sustained winds of 125 mph, but has since weakened to a tropical storm. Since the storm formed west of 140°W, it was named through the seldom-used Central Pacific list. Iona is moving west in strong trade winds that are being enhanced by these tropical systems, prompting concerns about fire weather and generating large swells. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 051529-1754047248294.png">High pressure to the north of these tropical systems is helping to spur strong winds as the pressure gradient is tight across the Hawaiian Islands. Wind advisories and red flag warnings (fire weather warnings) have been issued due to the increased risk of wildfires spreading quickly. Please avoid activities that can create a spark or flame.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 051500-1754047328885.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 051506-1754047347903.png">It has been quite dry across much of the Hawaiian Island chain, with several areas in severe to extreme drought conditions. This means vegetation is dry enough to burn quickly in a fire.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-31 052952-1753961411782.png">The higher winds are also creating big swells, which should gradually drop over the weekend. High surf is expected through Friday, with waves of 10-14 feet on south-facing shores.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-01 05-34-55-1754048140872.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Tropical Storm Gil formed early Thursday morning, well to the west of Mexico. It is expected to move gradually to the WNW and strengthen to hurricane status. However, it should weaken to a remnant low before reaching Hawaii.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 052637-1754047630344.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 052645-1754047637135.png"><h1>Why Has the Atlantic Been So "Quiet"?</h1>Several factors are contributing to the current lull in tropical activity. One major factor is increased wind shear. Additionally, large-scale atmospheric disruptions—such as a displaced Hadley cell—have resulted in more sinking air over the tropics, which suppresses storm formation. Saharan dust and slightly cooler ocean temperatures in some areas are also playing a role.<h2>Saharan Dust</h2>Forecast models show dust plumes from Africa failing to make it across the Atlantic. This is significant because tropical systems thrive on moisture, and Saharan dust can dry out the atmosphere.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-01 05-35-50-1754048227282.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h2>Ocean Temperatures</h2>In what is known as the Main Development Region (MDR), sea surface temperatures have been a little cooler than the record-breaking pace they've been on the last two seasons (23' &amp; 24'). Tropical systems typically need sea surface temperatures of 80° at a depth of 150 ft for tropical formation. Currently, in the MDR, our temperatures are in the high 70s. We are slowly seeing some SSTs climbing to around 80°.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-28 082413-1753712658733.png">In fact, a lot of the season, in comparison to last year and the year before, has been a bit cooler. However, if you look at the numbers, it's been hovering around normal.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-22 142616-1753216233169.png">So what is actually normal? If we look only at the number of storms, it appears we're ahead of schedule. However, accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) in the Atlantic is less than 20% of normal for this point in the season.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-22 143043-1753216287218.png"><h1>Looking Ahead</h1>This early in the season, we're still trend spotting. Without a persistent El Niño setup to bring additional shear, we watch the water temperatures. In the Main Development Region, waters had been trending cooler - not anymore. Over the past few weeks, a noticeable spike in Ocean Heat Content has caused those temperatures through the column to average. Will this lead to a tropical wave developing into an organized system this week? It might, but the hostile conditions in the Atlantic won't give it much time, so the odds are not looking great.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-29 135539-1753819091494.png">

Tropics: Winds Fuel Fire Concerns in Hawaii, Quiet in the Atlantic

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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Cooler air has arrived! Well, for much of the northern tier of the country cooler air has arrived. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 063830-1754052035605.png">A cold front that produced strong storms has dropped temperatures AND humidity significantly for much of the northern half of the country (east of the Rockies anyway). Highs are expected to be about 5-15 degrees below average on Friday, before a slow warming trend starts to bring those highs back up for most. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/1-1754017457307.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/1-1754017494820.png">The front will not only drop the temperatures, but also the humidity. Dewpoints drop from the 70s into the 40s.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-01 06-36-46-1754051829200.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The August temperature outlook looks to warm back up across most of the country, so unfortunately this early taste of fall doesn't appear to be a sign of the trend for the first two weeks of August. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/1-1754017630022.png">Stay with WeatherNation for the latest.

Who's Ready for a Cold Front?

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NORTHEAST - Record high temperatures broke in the northeast Wednesday afternoon, including Islip, LaGuardia, Atlantic City, and Bridgeport. Now, a cold front will tap into the high heat to create intense rainfall rates that could lead to significant flash flooding before cooler and drier conditions take over for the weekend.<h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 191941-1753924917036.png">Flood Risk</h1>Earlier, the Moderate Risk of flooding verified with numerous reports of flash floods from D.C. to New York City! Thankfully, the risk is going down for the overnight!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Day1SVR-1754000696484.png"><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/VO_073125_RNE_NEW YORK CITY, NY_CHOPPY TIME LAPSE OF CARS DRIVING THROUGH FLOODWATERS, OTHER SIDE IS BLOCKED BY SEMI_NYC DOT_LS_E073125-1753997126015.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The remaining rainfall should less than an inch but a few isolated area could see some heavier totals.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/1-1754017044218.png">

Jesse Kelley

Cold Front Brought Significant Flooding to I-95

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<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1950951552719700357" src="https://x.com/NOAAResearch/status/1950951552719700357"></div>At 7:24 pm ET on Tuesday, July 29th, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia’s Far East, prompting tsunami alerts for Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. West Coast. The largest earthquake ever recorded was a 9.5M quake in Biobio, Chile in 1960.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 142730-1753907262489.png">A couple locations on the West Coast remain under Tsunami Advisories through Crescent City, California.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 142609-1753907175868.png">Below are some of the observed maximum tsunami heights recorded for Hawaii, the West Coast of the United States, and Alaska. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 144338-1753908237553.png">A part of the Northern California coast line was under a Tsunami Warning Wednesday morning as tsunami waves continued to come ashore. Below you can see the observations from Crescent City, CA where wave heights measured 3.7 ft.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 052229-1753874561022.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1950396558660554830" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1950396558660554830"></div>Sirens sounded in Hawaii Tuesday evening every hour from when the Tsunami Warning was issued until the first waves impacted around 7:17 pm local time. Maximum amplitude of the waves reached nearly six feet in Kahului. For more on evacuation zones in Hawaii, see this<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://static.pdc.org/tsunami/index.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawL2Uj5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjZTTPWnQRd1wGqZ9g_HvYaTOt4HLmXa7dBAhOLV9sKEfw84BLS7cE7CgrJn_aem_92Fax-jvYytTZm5riEe0ig"> website.</a><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 053800-1753875555241.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1950483958728438027" src="https://x.com/CivilDefenseHI/status/1950483958728438027"></div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tsunami.gov/">The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center</a> said the impacts would be on a global scale, with waves of nearly 3 meters (~12 feet) possible along some coasts of Russia and Ecuador.&nbsp;The Tsunami Warning Center has broken down the potential hazards and public action needed to take based on the level of alerts. When a Tsunami warning is issued, you must move to higher ground or inland, as dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents are possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/ea9d0de5-6816-43ff-b872-1f6a923e9edd-1753846260455.jpg">The quake’s preliminary rating of 8.0 was later bumped up to an 8.8, making it one of the highest magnitude earthquakes in recorded history.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/ezgif-4fd1f2bd3d959c-1753893497771.gif">Russia’s Tass news agency reported that many ran into the streets as damage started to occur to homes and other buildings, as they noticeably swayed under the earthquake's power. &nbsp;Earlier in July, five power quakes – the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 -- struck in the same area near Kamchatka. &nbsp;

Administrator

Tsunami Impacts Hawaii, Alaska, West Coast After Russia Earthquake

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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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The plains have had an active summer with severe storms, and in the past 24 hours, things were busy once again. Damaging winds, hail, and flooding were all reported. It was active today, but things are calming down overnight.<h1>OVERNIGHT</h1>The Storm Prediction Center has issued a marginal risk for severe storms overnight for a small portion of Kansas, including the cities of Salina and Wichita. The main threat with any severe storms that develop will be damaging winds and hail. For the rest of the plains and Midwest, there is a general risk of thunderstorms overnight with a low severe threat.<h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/MARGINAL RISK -1753924763494.png">OVERNIGHT</h1>As the low lingers, strong to severe storms with heavy rain will be possible in eastern Kansas overnight. Precipitation will become more limited on Thursday morning for Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/low presurejejeje-1753925421627.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Flooding</h1>Watch for isolated to scattered flooding threats over the next few days as these storms continue to move through the region. The Weather Prediction Center has this region under a level 2 (SLIGHT) risk for flooding for at least the next two days.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 135203-1753905127832.png">There are isolated to scattered risks for flooding through tonight.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-30 135220-1753905144957.png">

Storms Wrapping Up In 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!

Taban Sharifi

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Unusual and intense heat and humidity have settled over the Middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys and are expected to persist. The Heat Risk for much of the country is red, which is a major level of heat risk. There are even many areas of purple, which is the highest level of heat danger: Extreme. These locations need to limit time outdoors, stay hydrated, and check on your neighbors.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-29 134308-1753818201812.png"><h1>Southeast</h1>Tampa, Florida, broke an all-time record high on Sunday, July 27th. Reaching 100° beats out the old record of 99° set on June 26, 2020. Tuesday, Tampa broke the all-time record for the highest heat index recorded by hitting 119°. When you're breaking all-time records in FLORIDA, that's how you know how hot it truly is.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-29 161143-1753827107280.png">Heat alerts continue across the Southeast, with Heat Risk levels at their highest in the country. Most of the southeast is at extreme Heat Risk through Wednesday afternoon, with heat index values still expected to be near 110°.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/high vsss-1753893583733.png">These conditions are particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and those without access to reliable air conditioning or hydration.&nbsp;<h1>Mid South</h1>Heat alerts are expected to continue across parts of the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River Valley. Just like parts of the Southeast, heat index values are going to climb to over dangerous levels near 115 degrees. There is likely to be some relief from the heat in these areas as thunderstorm chances increase mid-week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/heattttt -1753893455049.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/todayaaaa-1753893518399.png"><h1>Northeast</h1>We even have heat advisories in the northeastern U.S, in particular, New England. Feels like temperatures here are likely to rise to 95-100°F through Wednesday before our next trough moves in.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/toddsss-1753893647902.png">Several records were broken on Tuesday, and there will likely be more records to add to the list before the day is over.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-29 161427-1753827291973.png">The heat index values will be in the triple digits for cities like Philadelphia and New York.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/todayshshshs-1753893718276.png">Tune into WeatherNation for more top weather headlines.

Millions of Americans Under Heat Alerts

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Friday was another busy day with severe weather and flash flooding. A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Davenport, IA after they picked up over four inches of rain. The winds from Friday's storms were over 70 plus mph!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-12 055745-1752321471706.png"><h1>Timing</h1>Friday's leftover storms will be the catalyst for additional shower and thunderstorm development across parts of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region on Saturday, as will the frontal boundary that moves into the region. The surface low could also help to spur a few supercells, capable of producing a tornado or two in eastern Michigan, primarily from the late morning through mid-afternoon.<h1>SATURDAY</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/FORECAST-1752352202968.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>As the front continues to move, strong thunderstorms may redevelop early Saturday over the central High Plains. Behind the front, a high-pressure system ushering in cooler, drier air from western Canada will settle over the northern High Plains, bringing a temporary break from the stormy conditions. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/PIC 1-1752352628146.jpg">Rainfall rates will remain high, with 1-2" of rain per hour possible. This could lead to rain totals surpassing 4-5 inches in some areas that see multiple rounds of storms or slow moving storms. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot 2025-07-12 055618-1752321436549.png">

Severe Storm Risk Pushes into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley

Timing

SATURDAY

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Triggers Air Quality Alerts Across Upper Midwest

Air Quality Alerts are in effect across a bro

Tropics: Winds Fuel Fire Concerns in Hawaii, Quiet in the Atlantic

While the Atlantic Basin remains quiet, an im

Who's Ready for a Cold Front?

Cooler air has arrived! Well, for much of the

Cold Front Brought Significant Flooding to I-95

NORTHEAST - Record high temperatures broke in

Tsunami Impacts Hawaii, Alaska, West Coast After Russia Earthquake

At 7:24 pm ET on Tuesday, July 29th, a magnit

Storms Wrapping Up In The Plains

The plains have had an active summer with sev

Millions of Americans Under Heat Alerts

Unusual and intense heat and humidity have se