Dave Holder

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While temperatures will cool across the South behind a front, dangerous fire conditions will increase for the Gulf Coast States through Monday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771801544526.png">Gusty winds and dry conditions will increase fire danger.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/New Baron Video 3-1771801651840.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Around the back of the developing nor'easter, strong northerly winds will develop as a cold front passes through, with gusts over 30mph possible at times.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771801815225.png">The air will be moving in from the north and will be drier than is normal in areas that are normally semi-tropical. Because of this, relative humidity could drop well below 20% by both Sunday and Monday afternoon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-21 171328-1771719223352.png">Unfortunately, much of Florida is experiencing Extreme Drought conditions. The coverage of this drought is the highest recorded since 2000. With strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels, Red Flag Warnings and Watches have been issued for Louisiana, Mississippi, and most of Florida. If we zoom out and look across the entire Gulf Coast, we see the drought conditions don't improve much all the way down to Brownsville.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-21 170742-1771719424940.png">

Jackie Brown

Elevated Fire Danger For Florida and the South

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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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Storms have seemingly been drawn to the Northeast and Great Lakes this year, delivering rounds of cold and snow through much of this La Niña-oriented winter so far. Another storm system is shaping up to end the weekend that looks to deliver heavy snow, and even blizzard conditions, to portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast into the work week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 182410-1771809861910.png">After initial differences, forecast models are beginning to come into better agreement about the position of the low staying close enough to the coast to bring heavy snow to portions of the I-95 corridor. Regardless of model differences, heavy blowing snow will affect millions of people Sunday into Monday, resulting in very difficult travel. Winter Storm Warnings and even Blizzard Warnings have been issued.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 112146-1771784553051.png">As a reminder, blizzard warnings are issued for low visibility due to blowing snow. The wind is the biggest factor in a blizzard which makes travel difficult if not impossible. This is the first blizzard warning issued by the NWS in New York City since January of 2022.The forecast for snowfall totals exceeds a foot in many locations. The Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI) for the weight of snow across these locations hits EXTREME. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 182601-1771809978803.png"><h1>Timing</h1>As the low deepens and bombs out (dropping 24 mb in 24 hours), it will start to pull in much colder air from the north, turning rain to mostly snow up and down the Atlantic coastline. The heavy snow, strong winds, and large waves increase in intensity through Monday morning, with snow finally ending late Monday as the low pulls away from the coast.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/02-22 rne-1771810031939.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Strong winds are expected to develop as the low-pressure system deepens. Remember, the bigger the pressure difference, the stronger the winds. The persistent strong winds will lead to large swells developing with waves 8-12 feet, possibly higher, for many Northeast beaches through Monday and Tuesday. Coastal Flood Alerts are in place through Monday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 040141-1771758107425.png">We'll be updating this story frequently on air and online, so be sure to check back for updates.

Blizzard - Nor'easter Takes Aim at the Atlantic Coast

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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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Inches of rain and feet of snow fell across the Western United States during the past week thanks to a series of powerful low pressure systems. The Pacific coast will stay active during the week ahead as multiple systems line-up to keep the storm pattern going. However, this time the atmospheric river is warmer and shifting will be meeting some warmer air this time.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771800944814.png"> A big difference between last week and the week ahead will be the much warmer temperatures that build into the SW around a ridge of high pressure. This ridge will send storms up the coast, instead of across the interior, and will keep snow levels much higher. As rain falls on top of snow, it melts increasing runoff. This typically leads to an increase in river flooding potential.<h1>Timing</h1>Heavy rain and snow will continue to impact the Pacific Northwest through the weekend, with snowfall in mountain areas leading to difficult travel. The rainfall rates will increase into Monday and Tuesday as a stronger system moves onshore, bringing tropical moisture to the north. This system will shift a bit farther south to start the week, bringing heavy rain into Northern California Monday afternoon into Tuesday. Snow levels are expected to be quite high, upwards of 8,000 feet, leading to rain falling on top of the feet of snow California recorded last week.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/New Baron Video 3-1771801224607.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Precipitation &amp; Flood Potential</h1>Rainfall totals in Northern California and Southern Oregon could surpass 5-7 inches in some locations, with snowfall totals in the NW topping a foot. Temperatures appear to be too warm for heavy snow in the Sierra, outside of the highest peaks.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 121351-1771787636832.png">Flood potential increases on Monday and Tuesday, with flash flooding possible from California to Southern Washington.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-22 121405-1771787650995.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771801298851.png">

Next Pacific System Brings Flood Potential To Oregon & California

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Brittany Lockley

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A developing storm system is expected to bring the potential for severe weather across portions of the Southeast Saturday, with the Storm Prediction Center outlining a Marginal Risk for strong to severe thunderstorms from eastern Mississippi through much of Alabama and into Georgia. The setup features a stalled frontal boundary draped across the region, acting as a focus for thunderstorm development.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771703180074.png">Warm, moisture-rich air is in place across southern Alabama and Georgia, with dew points climbing into the upper 60s. As daytime heating increases, this unstable air mass will provide additional fuel for storms to intensify. At the same time, stronger winds higher in the atmosphere will support storm organization, meaning a few thunderstorms could evolve into more structured clusters or rotating cells. When wind shear and instability overlap like this, the threat for damaging wind gusts increases, and a brief tornado cannot be ruled out.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771703292205.png">The greatest concern today centers on southeast Alabama into southwest and south-central Georgia, where storms may tap into the most favorable combination of moisture, lift, and wind energy. Later this afternoon and into the evening, attention may shift toward far southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle as the frontal boundary settles southward and additional storms develop along it.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/New Baron Video 3-1771703403439.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>While widespread severe weather is not expected, any storm that becomes strong could quickly produce hazardous conditions, including wind gusts strong enough to down trees or power lines, pockets of hail, frequent lightning and torrential downpours leading to localized flooding. Because storms may develop in clusters, some communities could experience repeated rounds of heavy rain in a short amount of time.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771703442587.png">Stay weather-aware throughout Saturday, especially during the peak heating hours of the afternoon. Having multiple ways to receive weather alerts and knowing where to seek shelter if warnings are issued will be important, as conditions could change rapidly where storms strengthen. Cooler and more stable air is expected to filter in behind the front later tonight, gradually bringing an end to the severe threat.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771703480460.png">Stay tuned to WeatherNation for more details.

Patrick Crawford

Strong Storms Target the Southeast

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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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Snow has become more widespread across Upstate New York and into New England today. As trough of low pressure moves through the region into Saturday, more cold air will wrap into the system allowing for more wintry precipitation. Totals are now reaching up to near a foot in parts of Upstate New York.<h1>TIMING</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/New Baron Video 3-1771643528021.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The heaviest accumulations will continue into the early morning hours of Saturday, before tapering off by late morning. However, the low pressure system will continue to become wrapped up in itself and limit its movement. That means light snow along the surface trough will linger in the Great Lakes and New England through the day on Saturday.Once this system clears, a coastal low will deepen just off the southeast coast. As it traces north along the northeast coastline, it could bring major snow, wind and coastal impacts into early next week. Stay with WeatherNation for more details on this potential Nor'Easter.<h1>TOTALS</h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/1-1771643590393.png">An additional 3-6" of snow will be likely across Northern New England by Saturday. Dangerous driving conditions will stick around through Saturday, so avoid the roads if you can.<h1>TEMPERATURES</h1>Highs will remain in the 30s through the event and as the next coastal low moves in. This will mean another potential for wintry mix Sunday and early next weeek.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 102148-1771608128058.png">

Jesse Kelley

New England Snow & Ice Into Saturday

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CALIFORNIA - After almost a week of relentless rain and snow, skies in California are finally clearing into the weekend. Despite the system exiting the region, impacts will linger for some time, especially in the mountains, where feet of snow await clearing. As of Friday morning, I-80 and the Donner Pass are back open after hundreds of cars became stranded from the intense snowfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-19 075311-1771512817264.png">Snow totals surpassed 100" in a few localized areas, with 4-6 feet widespread across the Sierra. Even the mountains in Southern California saw 2-4 feet of snow on the peaks!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 171911-1771633173461.png">Those numbers, despite being incredibly high, did not bring California's snowpack back to average, but they did see a massive jump from 54% at the start of the week to 75% as of Friday evening!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 172229-1771633386958.png">Unfortunately, the heavy snow led to multiple deaths. A large avalanche killed 8 people on a backcountry ski tour, while another man failed to return to his vehicle after parking at a ski resort.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2024232039315296461" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2024232039315296461"></div><h1>Lingering Cold</h1>Cold air will linger behind the low into Saturday morning, and cold alerts remain in place for portions of the Bay Area, coastal valleys, and higher elevation locations. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 172405-1771633456926.png"><h1>Next Round</h1>Another series of storm systems is expected to move in around the ridge of high pressure in the Four Corners this weekend. This will focus the next round of heavy rain and snow farther north, with impacts expected in Northern California into Central Oregon. Warming temperatures will mean some areas that received intense snow could see nothing but rain next week. This could lead to flooding issues, especially with runoff in the mountains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 093723-1771605465112.png">The heaviest rain is expected from the Northern Sierra near Lake Tahoe up to the coastal mountains in California and Oregon. Flash flooding is a concern on Monday and Tuesday in these areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 172554-1771633563461.png">

Major Storm System Winds Down in California

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Tracey Anthony

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PLAINS - Multiple active fires broke out earlier this week across the Plains of Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Fire danger continues into the weekend, as additional Red Flag Warnings have been issued for southern Texas. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 173007-1771633816846.png">The fires that began on Tuesday have burned a large amount of real estate, estimates show over 310,000 acres of wildfires burned since Tuesday afternoon, causing low visibility, and evacuation orders were issued.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 173043-1771633860818.png">From the Oklahoma Panhandle and into southwest Kansas, the Ranger Road Fire has burned nearly 300,000 acres since Tuesday, with containment now up to 30%.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 173320-1771634007282.png">As a front moves through, winds have strengthened in response. Saturday's outlook will be confined to South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley, ahead of the incoming front. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot 2026-02-20 173423-1771634118618.png">Earlier this week, some winds were clocked close to triple digits! The winds prompted a blowing dust advisory to be issued on Tuesday afternoon, and a 30+-vehicle pileup resulted from brownout conditions along I-25 in southern Colorado.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/02/Web 9-1771425927888.png">

Wildfire Danger: Red Flag Warnings Persist Into Saturday

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Minnesota has air quality concerns for the weekend. An Air Quality Alert has been issued for fine particulate matter across all of the state through midday Sunday.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued this alert due to smoke from wildfires in western Canada continuing to impact the state's air quality.

The <a href="https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_state&amp;stateid=24&amp;mapcenter=0&amp;tabs=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Quality Indices</a> (AQIs) will range from 101 to 150, which is a range where the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups of people - people with lung or heart disease, older adults and children that are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air. These groups should limit their prolonged exertion, especially if outdoors or near a source of pollution.

<img class="wp-image-95266 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/08/AQI-Saturday-1.jpg" alt="Air Quality Concerns for Entire State of Minnesota" width="525" height="400" /> Source: AirNow.Gov

The forecast late Saturday into Sunday does call for improving air quality as wind speeds up and turns southwesterly, helping to clear the smoke out of the region.

For WeatherNation, I am Meteorologist <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/marcus-walter/">Marcus Walter</a>.

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