Kevin Schneider

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<p><strong>WHAT TO EXPECT </strong></p><p>A severe weather threat is taking shape across the southern Plains this week as a stalled boundary, a sharpening dryline, and an upper-level disturbance come together over a record-breaking warm and increasingly humid central airmass.</p><h2>OUTLOOK</h2><p>An <strong>ENHANCED </strong>risk has been issued through the overnight hours.  Damaging winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes will be possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/fjfjfjss-1775063569605.png"></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/wind s-1775063505900.png"></p><h2>TIMING</h2><p>Storms continue to fire along a dryline, producing gusty winds and large hail. These storms will continue to move to the east overnight, so have multiple ways to get alerts. Things will  wind down midday Thursday. </p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/FORECASSSTTTTTTT-1775091363575.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><p></p>

Jackie Brown

Severe Threat Ramps Up in the Plains

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<p><strong>ABOVE - </strong>The month of March has been setting record after record, with nearly 100 locations nationwide breaking <strong>all-time March records</strong>. Each red dot above denotes a city that has tied or broken its all-time March record.</p><h1>Heat Continues</h1><p>The ridge of high pressure has slid east, and plenty of records fell again, this time in the eastern third of the country. Both New York City and Philadelphia felt their daily record highs on Wednesday. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 171907-1775085571771.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 171850-1775085571776.png"></p><p></p><p>We'll threaten records for a few more days. And then things change...</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/fjfjfjdss-1775063897988.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><p>Temperatures are above average on Friday and Saturday, but dip back down to the 40s on Sunday for cities like Chicago and Cleveland.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/thsjsjfff-1775009380824.png"></p><p>Above-average temperatures will remain in place in the south on Friday, and will be near average to below average after this weekend's system pushes through. </p><p></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/friday through sattttt-1775009391137.png"></p><p></p>

April Brings Cooler Temperatures

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<p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #454545;">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></span></p>

Rob Bradley

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<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2038956981763903857" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2038956981763903857"></div><p>Several waves of low pressure will traverse the northern tier of the country through the end of this week, bringing plenty of lift and clashing temperatures to set the stage for heavy rain and severe storms.</p><h1>Severe Weather Outlooks</h1><p>Through tonight, the SPC has two regions of <strong>SLIGHT</strong> risk (level 2 out of 5) for severe storms. Wind is the primary risk, but all hazards (hail &amp; tornadoes) are also possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 142642-1775075209802.png">A trailing storm system will bring another threat back to the Great Lakes on Thursday, with an elevated risk around Lake Michigan and the northern Mississippi River Valley. Wind is expected to be the most widespread hazard, but hail and tornadoes are possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 133756-1775075310390.png">The tornado potential will be elevated around Lake Michigan on Thursday, with even a few strong tornadoes possible (hatched area). Have multiple ways to get tornado alerts and review your tornado safety plan - have a safe location at work and at home.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 065253-1775047985918.png"></p><h1>Forecast Timing</h1><h2>Wednesday</h2><p>Storms developed Wednesday afternoon, producing damaging winds, hail, and flooding. Things should taper off through the overnight hours due to loss of energy. Expect more storms to develop on Thursday. </p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/NE STORMSSSSS-1775091991290.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><h2>Thursday</h2><p>Thursday's storms could be feisty a bit earlier in the day, as leftover energy from Wednesday's storms moves north overnight. After the early morning sizzle, storms take a break while energy rebuilds ahead of the next front. As the cold front moves through during the afternoon, a new round of storms blooms ahead of the cold front while racing to the northeast. Storms will gradually lose energy through the overnight hours.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-01 07-12-01-1775049159182.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Heavy rain could lead to flooding, with 1-3 inches possible in heavier downpours. Isolated flash flooding is possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-31 152917-1774992562417.png">Tune into WeatherNation for the latest on these storms.</p>

Several Severe Storm Chances For the Midwest, East Coast

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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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<p>While much of the country, and in particular the Southwest, baked underneath a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/record-heat-rolls-east-this-week"><strong><em>historic heatwave</em></strong></a> in March, a shift in the jet stream has brought cooler and wetter weather back to the area.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2038436047768670271" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2038436047768670271"></div><p></p><h1>Alerts</h1><p>Winter alerts are in effect across the higher elevations of Utah and Colorado. Some areas are expecting a foot of snowfall, with isolated locations seeing higher totals. Winds will also be gusty across the higher terrain. Winter Weather Advisories were reissued across northern Utah for another round expected on Thursday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 164533-1775083550601.png"></p><p>The Sierra Nevada Mountains also have winter alerts in place that will continue through most of Thursday morning. Travel delays and slick roadways are likely. Stay safe as this much-needed moisture arrives across the higher terrain.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 164841-1775083739866.png"></p><h1>Forecast Timing</h1><p>While one system is departing, another area of disturbance will move across Northern California and back into Utah and Colorado. This system will continue to bring impacts through Friday morning.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/FORSS-1775091796749.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 165239-1775083975535.png">Although not a "drought buster" by any means, these systems will at least help put a dent into the record-low snowpack across the West, along with some relief from the heat!</p>

SW Pattern Change: Tracking Rain & Snow

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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!

Alana Cameron

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<p><strong>LIFTOFF -</strong> At 6:35 PM ET on April 1, 2026, NASA launched astronauts on a historic mission to the Moon. This marks the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years, dating back to the Apollo era.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2039477801787769177" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2039477801787769177"></div><p>NASA’s Space Launch System sent four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, aboard the Orion spacecraft on a test flight around the Moon and back. This 10-day mission will demonstrate life support systems and help lay the foundation for future deep space exploration.</p><h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-28 091928-1774711352235.png">What's Next for Artemis II?</h2><ul><li><p><strong>Day 1: </strong>focused on launch and entering Earth orbit.</p></li><li><p><strong>Days 2-4: </strong>outbound transit toward the Moon.</p></li><li><p><strong>Days 5-6</strong>: Orion will fly by the Moon, entering its sphere of influence, where the Moon becomes the dominant gravitational force.</p></li><li><p><strong>Days 7-10</strong>: return trip to Earth, followed by re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where the U.S. Navy will recover the capsule.</p></li></ul><h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 180532-1775088336863.png">What is the Future of the Artemis Program?</h2><p>In simple terms, Artemis is the first step in a broader effort to send humans to Mars. Before that, NASA aims to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a sustained presence while testing humanity’s ability to live and work beyond Earth’s orbit. Artemis II, specifically, will send astronauts around the Moon and back.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-28 091131a-1774710738504.jpg">This will be the first mission since 1972 to take humans beyond low Earth orbit, and potentially farther from Earth than any human has traveled before. NASA currently plans a series of Artemis missions, with Artemis IV expected to land astronauts on the Moon.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 180027-1775088036041.png">Artemis II marks a major step forward in human space exploration, pushing us farther than we’ve gone in decades, and bringing us one step closer to returning to the Moon… and eventually, reaching Mars.</p>

First Crewed Lunar Mission in 50 Years: Artemis II Lifts Off

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<p>It's been unbearably hot across the West for the last week, after warm and dry conditions for a good chunk of the winter season. This has led to drought conditions, with dry vegetation ready to burn. Another cold front moves across the Northern Rockies and High Plains, increasing fire danger into the upcoming week. Fire Weather Alerts are in effect overnight.  There are even threats for isolated dry thunderstorms that can spark wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico overnight.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/overnightttttssss-1774923482169.png">In Nebraska, the Ashby and Minor fires grew rapidly by tens of thousands of acres, very close to the Morrill burn scar. Given the continued fire weather conditions, more fire growth is possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-30 083405-1774881249265.png">An elevated threat for fire weather continues Tuesday across portions of New Mexico and Texas.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-30 083433-1774881277930.png">Keep it locked in on WeatherNation, as we continue to update you on these fires and their impacts!</p>

Critical Fire Danger & Isolated Dry Thunderstorms

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<p><em>Top Image Credit: National Parks Service</em></p><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8V6xqwukzO0" start="0"></iframe></div><p>Spring is here and so are the blooms of flowers all across North America. This includes the famous cherry tree bloom around the National Mall in Washington, D.C.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-28 050710-1774696193114.png">On Thursday, March 26th, the National Mall announced peak bloom has been reached! The peak is expected to last about a week or so, depending on weather conditions. On March 5th, the National Park Service announced its projected peak cherry blossom date for 2026, which was only off by about 3 days - an impressive forecast!</p><h2>What is "peak bloom"?</h2><p>The peak bloom date is defined as the day when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, one of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/types-of-trees.htm"><strong><u>many types of cherry trees</u></strong></a> in the area. Peak bloom usually lasts for several days, with the blooms taking <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/bloom-watch.htm"><strong><u>about two to three weeks to reach peak</u></strong></a> after the appearance of green buds. As buds begin to appear, the forecast peak date will be updated by National Park Service horticulturists.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-26 080844-1774534352362.png"></p><h2>Past Blooms</h2><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-06 080035-1772811048593.png"><br>Due to variable weather conditions, peak bloom has occurred as early as March 15th (1990) and as late as April 18th (1958).</p><p>Visiting the blossoming cherry trees has become a favorite springtime tradition for Americans and tourists alike, dating back to 1912 when Japan gifted the U.S. about 3,000 cherry trees. The cherry trees in Japan have been putting on a show for thousands of years, with the dates of blooms being <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/date-of-the-peak-cherry-tree-blossom-in-kyoto"><strong><u>recorded all the way back to the 9th century</u></strong></a>. The dates for this year's peak blooms in Japan are expected from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/"><strong><u>late March through late April</u></strong></a> from north to south across the nation.</p>

PEAK BLOOM - Cherry Blossoms Emerge at the National Mall

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Karissa is the Director of On-Air Operations at WeatherNation. Karissa grew up loving math and science, but really fell in love with Meteorology while attending the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. After two summers of storm chasing in the central plains, she knew that it was the career path for her. Standing in front of a thunderstorm and feeling the cool outflow knock her over was an experience she will never forget. After two years at COD, she transferred to Metropolitan State University of Denver. Karissa graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology. Her high school and college speech and meteorology professors were extremely supportive and pushed her to succeed. Before joining the WeatherNation team, she previously worked as the Morning Meteorologist at KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa and at WMBD-TV in Peoria, IL. She recently was part of a National Edward R. Murrow award winning team for breaking news for their coverage of the EF-4 tornado in Washington, Illinois. In her free time, Karissa enjoys cooking and trying new foods. She is a self proclaimed 'TV Junkie' who can get into just about any show. She is a die hard Chicago sports fan who loves attending professional sporting events.

Karissa Klos

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<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EWgkKevPiLY" start="0"></iframe></div><p>Would you believe there were 459 million lightning pulses in the U.S. during 2024? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://aem.eco/">AEM</a> released its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://aem.eco/2024-united-states-lightning-report/">2024 U.S. Lightning Report</a>, showcasing a changing lightning landscape for America.</p><p>Key Findings:</p><ul><li><p><span style="color: inherit">The 80 million lightning flashes across the U.S. was a 17.7% decrease from the previous year.</span></p></li><li><p><span style="color: inherit">After an particularly active severe storm season, Midwestern states recorded lightning activity more like the Southeast, including Iowa and Illinois making their way into the top ten states with the highest lightning density.</span></p></li><li><p><span style="color: inherit">Florida retained its top position with 76 flashes per square mile, followed by Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas.</span></p></li><li><p><span style="color: inherit">St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, led with a flash density of 266 flashes per square mile, significantly surpassing other counties nationwide.</span></p></li></ul><blockquote><p><span style="color: inherit">"The appearance of Illinois and Iowa among the states with the highest annual flash density represents one of the most interesting shifts in lightning activity we've seen in years," said Dr. Elizabeth DiGangi, a lightning scientist at AEM. "While the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions traditionally dominate our annual rankings, 2024's data indicates another way severe weather patterns are evolving in the U.S."</span></p></blockquote>

AEM 2024 Lightning Report Shows Shifting Lightning Landscape

Severe Threat Ramps Up in the Plains

WHAT TO EXPECT A severe weather threat is tak

April Brings Cooler Temperatures

ABOVE - The month of March has been setting r

Several Severe Storm Chances For the Midwest, East Coast

Several waves of low pressure will traverse t

SW Pattern Change: Tracking Rain & Snow

While much of the country, and in particular

First Crewed Lunar Mission in 50 Years: Artemis II Lifts Off

LIFTOFF - At 6:35 PM ET on April 1, 2026, NAS

Critical Fire Danger & Isolated Dry Thunderstorms

It's been unbearably hot across the West for

PEAK BLOOM - Cherry Blossoms Emerge at the National Mall

Top Image Credit: National Parks ServiceSprin