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>A surface low and accompanying cold front will bring a chance for severe storms over the next few days. The slow movement of this system will also allow for a risk of flooding rain. A <strong>TORNADO WATCH</strong> has been issued for portions of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi through 11 PM CT. Threats include a couple of intense tornadoes, scattered damaging winds to 70 mph, and large hail up to 1.5" in diameter.</p><h1>Overnight</h1><p>There is a wide region with severe weather chances from southern Indiana to the Gulf Coast. The greater likelihood of strong storms will be centered around the Lower Mississippi River Valley. The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html">Storm Prediction Center</a> has maintained an <strong>Enhanced Risk</strong> (level 3 out of 5) for severe storms over eastern Louisiana, Arkansas, and central Mississippi. Numerous severe storms will be possible with tornadoes being the most prevalent threat.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_spc overnight-1675904884128.jpg">All severe weather hazards will be in the forecast, but the tornado risk is the most concerning part of this forecast. In addition to the elevated tornado threat, we also have the SIGNIFICANT tornado risk, also known as 'hatched', meaning EF-2 or greater will be possible through the lower Mississippi valley. Residents in these areas will need to have a severe weather plan in place in case they need to react and take cover.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/sig tor ovn-1675905044733.jpg"></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_spc tor-1675905052043.jpg"></p><p>Overnight, storms develop into a line, producing more of a damaging wind threat through eastern Louisiana and western Mississippi.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 18-11-22-1675905111784.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Thursday - Friday</h1><p>Another marginal risk is in place for Thursday along the Florida panhandle, southeast Alabama, and southern Georgia. The severe threat will be primarily during the morning hours as the front pushes through but a few storms could linger through the midday and early afternoon. Once again, tornadoes and damaging winds are our primary threat, especially given the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico's moisture.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/thu spc tor-1675884730954.JPG">Showers and storms carry through the Southeast on Thursday morning through the I-10 and I-65 corridors. Later in the day, we see all storms break apart through southern Georgia and Alabama. More moisture builds in by Friday morning with reinforcing Gulf Moisture.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 18-12-33-1675905176078.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>The Sunshine State (Florida) gets involved with severe storm chances by Friday. The chances are isolated, but something to keep an eye on as we get close. Here is the latest severe outlook.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/PIC5-1675852594049.jpg">Updates on this forecast will come up in the Central Regional Forecast every hour at :30 past and in the Eastern Regional Forecast at :10 past the hour.</p>

Severe Weather Threat Moving East Thu Fri

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<p>Post rain, as we head into Thursday and Friday an additional low-pressure system behind our first moisture-ridden system will bring the chance for additional snow chances from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. With a special interest in the higher elevations of the Ozarks. </p><h1>Forecast</h1><p>Thursday morning, our first low responsible for wet weather moves into the Great Lakes. A secondary low is forecast to form throughout the day and draw in both Gulf moisture and northerly winds to drop temperatures. Light snow will be noticed in Colorado and Kansas for the morning drive. Places like Oklahoma City will not see flurry chances until overnight through Friday morning ad the same for the Ozarks.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 18-23-39-1675905889015.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><h1>Forecast Models</h1><p>Our in-house forecast model shows heavier snowfall totals in Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and southern Missouri. There is still some uncertainty if this area will get cold enough to produce such high accumulations.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2-08_s plains snow-1675906033198.jpg"></p><p>In fact, the GFS model only puts around 1-2" of snowfall for the same spots.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/-08_gfs snow-1675906077309.jpg"></p><h1>Temperatures</h1><p>Morning lows will be below freezing for most of us on Thursday, but we will feel closer to average by Friday morning.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_fcst lows-1675906110025.jpg"></p><p>Afternoon highs will feel chillier on Friday but by the weekend, we're back to the high 40s and 50s.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2-08_Fcst hjighs-1675906141526.jpg"></p><p>For more on this be sure to tune into WeatherNation at :30 past the hour for your central regional forecast.</p>

Southern Plains and Ozarks Snow Chance

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Patrick Crawford has always been a huge weather buff! He grew up in Plano, Texas, and it was there that he experienced what Mother Nature was capable of doing. He would always turn on the television to see what local meteorologists were saying about the weather. That's when he realized he wanted to be a meteorologist.

Patrick graduated from Northern Illinois University (’04) with a degree in Meteorology and a double minor in Mathematics and Geography. Broadcast Meteorology has been great to him and he has been able to work in television markets all across the country. Some of his stops have included New Orleans, Green Bay and even Yuma, Arizona. He is so excited to be part of the WeatherNation team.

He has been awarded the prestigious CBM (Certified Broadcast Meteorologist) weather seal from the American Meteorological Society.

Feel free to catch up with Patrick Crawford on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeteorologistPC/">Facebook</a> and on <a href="https://twitter.com/MeteorologistPC">Twitter</a> pages.

Patrick Crawford

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<p>The flood risk is heightened through the Central and Southern Plains along with parts of the Midwest and Deep South into the next few days. A low-pressure system and associated frontal boundary have been producing rain showers and storms in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas with numerous reports of street flooding around the Jonesboro, AR area. Training storms and flash flooding are indicated by the latest forecast, showing a swath of up to 5" through the Ark-La-Tex through Friday morning. The grounds in these locations are saturated from recent rounds of intense rainfall and many rivers and streams are also under flood warnings to account for the swollen banks.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_flood alerts-1675905265303.jpg"></p><p>The heaviest swath of rain will be around the backside of the low-pressure system and north of the warm front where moisture from the gulf is transported to the north. Flood concerns will stretch from the Gulf into the Great Lakes.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 18-17-35-1675905478047.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>The Weather Prediction Center has issued a marginal risk for excessive rainfall for Thursday, the heavy rainfall threat moves farther east. Places from the panhandle of Florida are looking at the heavy rainfall potential.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/-08_wpc thu-1675905487170.jpg">More updates on this forecast will come up in the Central Regional Forecast every hour at 30 past.</p>

Ongoing Flooding through the Central Plains & Midwest

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<div>Lucy is originally from the Boston area but has spent the last four years forecasting and living in Colorado! She stayed in the northeast for her education, graduating Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Oswego with a B.S. in Meteorology. Just a few days after graduation, she made the cross country move to Colorado Springs, CO to begin her career at KKTV, the CBS affiliate. Lucy has covered historic blizzards, tornadoes, windstorms, the largest wildfires in Colorado state history and dust storms ... they truly "get it all" in Colorado! Lucy is excited to forecast on a national level and continue her passion of explaining the science behind the weather!</div>
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Lucy Bergemann

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<p>Another system is forecast to move into the Plains, Midwest, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes region through Thursday bringing all modes of winter weather along with the risk of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-weather-stretches-into-the-midwest-wednesday-thursday">severe weather to the Midwest</a>. <strong>Winter Storm Watches, Winter Storm Warnings </strong>and<strong> Winter Weather Advisories </strong>have been issued for portions of Iowa and Wisconsin in advance of this system. This will go into effect late Wednesday night through Thursday evening for snowfall up to 2-8" and winds up to 35 mph.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/moew midwest alerts-1675890835906.JPG"></p><p>Moisture moves in overnight, starting as rain and ice, and transitioning over to snow through the day on Thursday. Heavy snow will continue along the backside of the low-pressure system - through Iowa, NE Missouri, and Wisconsin while we see primarily rain and ice north of the warm front.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/midwest snow-1675889386217.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Our forecast model forecasts the heaviest snowfall in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We could see some ice accretion through central and northern Michigan on the warm side of the low-pressure system.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/great lakes snow swath-1675905606658.jpg"></p><p>Stay with us for the latest forecast information throughout the next 48 hours with the threat of damaging winds and heavy snowfall.</p>

Heavy Rain, Ice & Snow from the Plains to the Great Lakes

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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>The same area of low pressure that is bringing the potential for strong storms in the Deep South will funnel moisture into the Midwest Wednesday and Thursday with the opportunity for damaging winds and heavy rainfall. We have the marginal risk of severe weather on Wednesday through Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, primarily for damaging wind gusts, but an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out either.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/midwest severe today-1675876091206.JPG">Showers and storms will develop along and north of the warm front through the Midwest today. In addition to the severe potential, we also have the increased risk for heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Our strongest storms will be through the afternoon and evening hours, especially through the Mid-South. While storms continue overnight, they don't look to be of the severe nature, instead mostly heavy rain producers. Any storm that moves through Ohio on Thursday morning will have the increased risk of damaging winds due to the proximity to the area of low pressure. Little lightning is anticipated with these storms.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/020823 Midwest Rain-1675898846419.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>On Thursday our risk area is centered over Ohio and Indiana where damaging wind gusts are the primary threat.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/spc thursday IN OH-1675898878029.JPG">We already have a HIGH WIND WATCH in effect for these areas, as a result of the area of low pressure intensifying and the development of a low level jet. Any storm that develops will have a head start at producing severe wind gusts as a result. Secure anything that could blow away in the high winds.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/wind alerts thursday-1675898910061.JPG"></p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 07-57-37-1675874126326.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Stay with WeatherNation for the latest on the severe weather and wind forecast, always streaming 24/7.</p>

Severe Weather Stretches into the Midwest Wednesday & Thursday

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<p>We are looking at the opportunity for a storm system late this week in New England. While it pulls mild air across the region ahead of the storm system, winter woes return to northern New England &amp; New York, while providing rain and ice concerns closer to the coastline.</p><h1>Temperatures</h1><p>As we head into Thursday and Friday, warmer air pushes into the northeast. In fact, we have the chance to tie or break records in a few locations. While we see above-average temperatures all week, Friday will be the warmest day!</p><h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/PIC4-1675855824785.jpg"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_rne_3 day temps-1675886752458.jpg">Winter Weather</h1><p>As a warm front moves through late week, precipitation starts to push into the northeast. For many, it will be a warmer system and this means widespread rainfall. But as the system moves into New England, snow chances start to increase through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. As a result, winter weather advisories are in effect for northern New England and New York Thursday night into Friday morning to account for light snow accumulations, sleet and the ice accretion along with gusty winds, especially in northern Maine. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/winter alerts-1675889009909.JPG"></p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-08 13-07-14-1675886884826.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>In terms of accumulation, we will see about 1-2" of rain and 3-5" of snowfall. This will be a wet-heavy snow variety, so keep that in mind for shoveling and the roadways! Some areas will also see some ice accretion mixing in with the forecast as well.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/02-08_rne_fcst acc-1675886983600.jpg">For more on the changing forecast ahead for the Northeast, join us for your top headlines and our eastern regional forecast, always :10 past the hour.</p>

Surge of Warm Temperatures and Active Weather for New England Thursday and Friday

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<p>The upper level low creating severe weather concerns Wednesday - Friday through the Gulf Coast states will lift north into the Carolinas and southeast U.S. this weekend, wrapping in cold air and Gulf moisture to create the risk of heavy rainfall, flash flooding and even snowfall through parts of the Appalachian mountains There is still disagreement in forecast models on the exact placement of the heaviest snowfall and how much, but the pattern is leaning cold and highlights the risk for winter weather. The heaviest rainfall will favor areas on the lee side of the Appalachian mountains where snowfall is focused into the highest elevations of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The area of low pressure in our upper atmosphere is powerful enough to wrap in the moisture from both the Atlantic and Gulf which will meet over the Carolinas. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/upper level low se-1675888225093.JPG">At the surface temperatures will be at their coldest on Sunday, with overnight lows in the 30s through northern Georgia, upstate South Carolina and North Carolina. We will see high temperatures in the 40s with higher elevations even cooler. This is cold enough air to support snow at the lowest levels, but we will have to monitor temperatures in the mid-level for the icing threat. If we are above freezing above the surface, precipitation will fall as rain and then melt on contact. Right now, it looks like we are cold enough to support snow throughout the column of air, but something worth continuing to monitor. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/sundays lows-1675888419114.JPG">While the snow forecast (both amounts and placement) is still being fine tuned, there is more confidence in the heavy rain potential along and east of I-95 through the Carolinas and coastal Virginia. Subsequently, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has highlighted the potential for excessive rainfall this weekend. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/02/wpc this weekend-1675888537974.JPG">Stay with WeatherNation as this forecast develops - we will get more confidence in the snow placement and timing as the weekend draws near. </p>

Watching an Area of Low Pressure to Impact the Southeast with Heavy Rain & Snow this Weekend

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According to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laborary (<a href="https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/ice/#currentConditions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GLERL</a>), total ice coverage across the Great Lakes is at 29.1%.

<img class=" wp-image-87082" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/02/glsea_cur.png" alt="" width="625" height="488" /> Ice coverage across the Great Lakes as of February 2nd, 2018.

A this point last year, there was around 8% of ice coverage.

All of the Great Lakes have some amount of ice on them. Here's the break down for each lake:

Lake Superior: 21.8%

Lake Michigan: 17.08%

Lake Huron: 44.76%

Lake Erie: 59.07%

Lake Ontario: 9.53%

Over the next few weeks its likely that more ice will form on the lakes as a cold and snowy pattern is expected across the Upper Midwest into the Northeast.

&nbsp;

For WeatherNation, I am <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MarcusDWalter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meteorologist Marcus Walter</a>.