<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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<p>A pair of low pressure systems will combine to bring stormy conditions to the Northeast to end the work week, ushering in cooler and drier air for the weekend. Severe storms are possible in the warm sector, while areas farther north could see a little bit of snow! The clashing air masses and quick pressure changes will also lead to strong and gusty winds.</p><h1>Severe Storm Potential</h1><p>In the warm sector, severe storms are possible Friday as back-to-back fronts tap into sufficiently warm and moist air. Damaging winds are the primary hazard, which could down trees and power lines, but an isolated tornado or two will also be possible.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 073138-1792157529409.png"></p><p>Tornado potential will shift east to end the week. On Friday, the threat covers parts of the I-95 corridor from New York to Baltimore. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 073148-1792157540454.png"></p><h1>Timing</h1><p>As the southerly low moves east, a clipper system from Canada will be moving east as well, bringing moderate to heavy rain to parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes. Severe storms are possible east of the southerly low, where warmer temperatures can still provide enough storm fuel. By Friday, the two fronts combine into one larger system, bringing heavy rain across New York and New England, while severe storms are possible by the afternoon around the Mid-Atlantic.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-16 07-34-48-1792157731137.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><h1>Winds &amp; Cooler Air</h1><p>Gusty winds will accompany the frontal passage, with widespread gusts of 20-25 mph. Gusts over 40 mph are possible across the Northeast on Friday.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/BARON 5-1792116014371.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Temperatures will drop quickly behind the front, dropping into the 40s for highs this weekend parts of the Northeast and Great Lakes!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 073325-1792157766301.png"></p>

Severe Storms to Frosty Temps, Big Changes for the Midwest and Northeast

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<p>Santa Ana winds helped several fires grow quickly on Thursday around Southern California, forcing a brief closure on I-5 near Camp Pendleton and evacuations for the foothills around Malibu. Santa Ana winds are expected to continue through Friday into Saturday before backing off into Sunday. Warm and dry conditions are also increasing the fire danger.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/VO_101526_RSW_OCEANSIDE, CA_I-5 SHUTDOW AS FIRE OVER 1K ACRES_CALTRANS_MS_E101526-1792116625441.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/VO_101526_RSW_LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA_BRYSON FIRE NORTH A MALIBU 100 ACRES_ALERTCALIFORNIA_MS_E101526-1792116726391.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 045741-1792148284477.png">Power is being shut off to prevent additional fires from getting started, primarily in areas around northern Los Angeles into the Simi Valley and surrounding mountain communities.  Northern California is also enacting shut offs in Calaveras County in the Sierra Foothills, as well as surrounding counties and into the mountains around Napa in wine country.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 051813-1792150226709.png"></p><h1>FORECAST</h1><p>Critical fire conditions remain for areas north of Los Angeles on Friday, meaning several hours of very dry and gusty conditions are expected to develop. The risk will drop to a level one threat (elevated) on Saturday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 051730-1792149456897.png">The fire danger remains critical in California for Friday, with elevated fire conditions on Saturday. The strongest of the winds will likely be on Friday with gusts that could be as high as 60-70 mph. For this reason, High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories have been issued into Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-16 063744-1792154269719.png"></p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/BARON 5-1792117069498.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>In addition, the strong down sloping winds are drying out and heating up the Pacific Coast. Heat Advisories are in effect into Saturday. Temperatures could approach record territory for parts of Southern California with highs in the middle and upper 90s.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/1-1792117229461.png"></p>

Several Fires Break Out in SoCal Amid Santa Ana Wind Event

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<p>Extreme rainfall has been hitting areas of Texas and Oklahoma over the past 3 days. This is tropical moisture out of the Eastern Pacific that is feeding into this heavy rain set-up. Heavy rain will stay a factor into Friday for many of these same areas. Flash flooding and ponding will be likely.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 4-1792105981174.png"></p><p>On Wednesday, a tornado was captured on video near Fort Stockton. Preliminary reports indicate this tornado caused some damage.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2110471661556498786" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2110471661556498786"></div><p></p><h1>Outlook &amp; Timing</h1><p>Even though there were no outlooks for severe, intense thunderstorms will be possible overnight into Friday morning for areas of West Texas. Rainfall rates could get over 1" per hour and lead to flooding conditions.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/FORECAST-1792106185285.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Flood Threat</h1><p>With the added moisture from Simon in the Pacific, heavy rainfall rates appear likely at times through Friday. Rain could fall at more than 2 inches per hour in some areas overnight, with totals surpassing 3 inches in a few locations.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-15 063540-1792068465522.png">There is a <strong>moderate</strong> threat for heavy rain and flooding across portions of SW Texas, while the slight risk encompasses much of west Texas into Southern Oklahoma.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 4-1792106287609.png"></p><p>Tune in to WeatherNation for your top weather headlines. Your full Central Regional Forecast can always be found :30 past the hour.</p>

Patrick Crawford

Flooding & Severe Storms Persist in the Southern Plains

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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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<p>More records fell on Thursday afternoon and even more record highs could fall on Friday. Check out where the numbers were Thursday afternoon.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/pic6-1792115411145.png"></p><p>While some of us are already getting in on some cooler air, areas in the South and Northeastern U.S. are still feeling some of that heat!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/pic5-1792115538505.png"></p><p>Temperatures take a nosedive in the coming days. Kansas City will see temperatures go from the 70s to the 50s in the coming days! Many temperatures will be below average for this part of the country. However, the cooler temperatures won't last super long before warmer air tries to move back by the weekend. Mother Nature doesn't know which direction it wants to go as temps will be swinging up and down through the weekend.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/pic4-1792115731884.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/pic6-1792115885129.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/pic3-1792115638268.png"></p><p>Tune into WeatherNation :30 past the hour for more on your central regional forecast.</p>

Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week, Cooler Air Incoming

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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<p>Isaias ended the late-season streak of no hurricanes in the Atlantic, but how will the rest of the season shape up? Record-breaking wind shear is likely to continue to limit most tropical systems in the Atlantic, but a few more storms are still possible.</p><h1>Atlantic Basin</h1><p>The low that the National Hurricane Center was monitoring has already lost that organization. Only serving to be a rainmaker for the Cabo Verde Islands. Any potential development was squashed by upper-level winds.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 4-1792022157888.png"></p><h1>Pacific Basin</h1><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">The Pacific Ocean has been incredibly active so far this hurricane season and looks to continue to create additional activity through the next week. Several systems could bring impacts to the United States. Not only do we have Hurricane Simon, but tropical storm Trudy formed on Tuesday.</span></p><h2>Simon</h2><p>Simon is an impressive hurricane, at one point a strong Category 4. It is currently Category 2 and will be riding up the Mexican coastline. Initial forecasts had Simon making landfall as a Category 2. Now, it'll likely make landfall as a tropical storm in the Baja Peninsula.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 4-1792105712382.png"></p><h2>Trudy</h2><p>With some warm Pacific waters, Trudy is expected to intensify to major hurricane strength, maybe even a category 4! Areas in southwestern Mexico are looking to be the heaviest impacted spots at this point. Check out how quickly Trudy will strengthen in the next few days.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 5-1792105743302.png"></p><h1><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">El Nino Fueling Pacific Activity</span></strong></h1><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-08 104818-1791478116096.png"></p><p>The Eastern Pacific has already hit records for the year being so active.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-12 121954-1791829204234.png"></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">The surge in tropical activity comes as El Nino continues to strengthen across the equatorial Pacific. El Nino is characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures across portions of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Those unusually warm waters can influence weather patterns around the globe while also creating an environment that can favor tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific.</span></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot 2026-09-28 194202-1790646127358.png"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">This year’s El Nino has already strengthened considerably, and forecasts indicate it could become exceptionally strong later this year.</span></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot 2026-09-12 063433-1789216512410.png"></p>

Tropics: Pacific Stays Hyperactive, Atlantic Quiets Down

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Brittany Lockley

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<p>A digging trough is bringing cooler temperatures and rounds of snow across the Rockies. So far, portions of Montana have seen 1 to 2 feet of snow. Snow is still lingering in Wyoming and Colorado. In fact, parts of these states are under <strong>Winter Weather Advisories </strong>through Thursday afternoon.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-15 075003-1792072220461.png"></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/montana snow reports -1791912601730.png">As this low-pressure system moves through, expect rounds of rain and snow over the next few days, with things tapering off by Thursday.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/FORECAST-1792023424748.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Our in-house model shows isolated snowfall totals up to a foot of across the higher elevations.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/PIC 4-1792023498486.png">Cool temperatures will continue to be below average as this low-pressure system moves through. Denver normally has a high of 66° and will only see a high of 54° on Thursday afternoon after starting the day with lows in the 30s. Freeze Watches have now been issued for parts of the Rockies and Western Plains into Friday morning!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-15 075157-1792072328421.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-15 075100-1792072300854.png"></p><p>For the latest updates on this forecast, tune into WeatherNation.</p>

Cooler Air & Lingering Snow for The Rockies

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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>Rachel came ashore in far northwestern Mexico, but the moisture, wind, and coastal hazards have brought impacts across the Southwest. Heavy rain has already prompted flash flooding, with elevated winds reportedly leading to some damaged trees. Remnants of Rachel are also significantly impacting the Southern California coastline.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2109372509783232854" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2109372509783232854"></div><p></p><p>The California coast remains under <strong>Coastal Flood Advisories </strong>through Tuesday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-12 121608-1791828991428.png"></p><h1>Rain &amp; Flood Forecast</h1><p>The Remnants of Rachel brought heavy rainfall. Las Vegas saw 1.08" of rainfall on Sunday, breaking the old record of .78". This ties the all-time wettest October Day!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot 2026-10-12 121715-1791829042950.png"></p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2109622612250988652" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2109622612250988652"></div><p></p><p>More on your Western Regional forecast can be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.</p>

Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

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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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