Kevin Schneider

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A big warmup is taking hold across the eastern United States in the coming days, bringing temperatures that will feel more like midsummer than mid-May. Much of the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast saw temperatures surge into record-breaking territory as a strong area of high pressure settled over the region.&nbsp;Numerous records were broken on Monday, May 18th, including Philadelphia hitting 96!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 164000-1779144019073.png">RELATED: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-storms-possible-in-the-plains-midwest-to-end-the-week">Severe Chances on the Plains</a>High temperatures are forecast to climb into the 80s across many areas, while some cities could approach or even reach 90 degrees for the first time this year in the Northeast. New York City normally averages 72° for this time of year, but it will see 90° on Tuesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 051530-1779189350522.png">Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, may come close to daily temperature records if the heat intensifies enough. Some locations could end up 20 to 30 degrees warmer than what is typical for this time of year.&nbsp;This has prompted heat advisories through Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 144143-1779223308000.png">Additional records are likely to fall through mid-week across the East before our central U.S. cold front draws in cooler air and stormy weather.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 051625-1779189397522.png">Despite the urge, stay out of the waters in the area. Many bodies of water are barely above freezing, which could shock the system into paralysis if you jump in<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 104353-1779122640973.png">The unusually warm pattern will come to an end after our front passes through on Thursday. By the end of the week, many spots will be closer to seasonal norms in the 70's<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 144158-1779223323249.png">

Alana Cameron

Early Taste of Summer Heat Expands Across the East

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Adrian Hernandez

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Whenever we talk about the severe weather, it's important to remember about the flooding threat that these rounds of heavy rainfall can bring. Especially if it's coming down in major cities or areas that are more flood-prone.<h1>RECAP</h1>Over the course of 24 hours, yesterday's severe weather dumped over 6 inches of rainfall in portions of Missouri. Several flooding reports were sent in across the Midwest due to the heavy rainfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 052204-1779189789847.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 052259-1779189789848.png"><h1>FORECAST</h1>Looking ahead, this cold front that brought all this heavy rain will be in no hurry to get going. It'll likely stall out over the Deep South and South Central. This means we're going to continuously see rounds of heavy rainfall over spots that are more susceptible to flash flooding all through the end of the week! We could see rainfall totals all across the South that could topple 4-5 inches!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 143941-1779223215583.png"><h1>IMPACTS</h1>With rounds of heavy rain expected over the next several days, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has issued 4 straight Excessive Rainfall Outlooks highlighting the flash flood threat. Parts of Texas will sit under a SLIGHT Risk (Level 2/4) for flash flooding for 3 straight days.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/ezgif-423273deb2c0e5fb-1779223396796.gif">A good reminder to avoid driving through flooded roadways at all costs. You never know what's under that water.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 053417-1779190502548.png">

Repeated Rain Raises the Flood Threat Down South

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We've had quite the active stretch to start this work week off. For the breakdown of what went on, give this a read<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-storms-leave-trail-of-destruction-on-the-plains">https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-storms-leave-trail-of-destruction-on-the-plains</a><h1>Through Tonight</h1>There's a very large SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk for severe weather through tonight. The most likely threat will be damaging winds on the leading edge of the front. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 143742-1779223132126.png"><h1>Wednesday</h1>This front is in no hurry to get on out of here. it'll stall out across the Northeast and extend through the Lone Star State. This will give us two separate spots to watch for severe weather. The main threat for both spots will be hail and damaging winds. However, the potential for large hail down in Texas is not out of the question.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 143749-1779223127143.png"><h1>Forecast Timing</h1>Through tonight, the front will likely spark these storms into the evening along the boundary. Once it stalls out, the heaviest activity is going to come off the dryline in Texas. We'll likely have multiple spots across Texas that'll see constant waves of rain throughout the day.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/05-19_east bams-1779223114472.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Make sure to keep it locked in on WeatherNation for the latest on everything severe!

Severe Storms Stick Around Midweek

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<h1>SUNDAY</h1>A potent setup, fueled by record hot temperatures, lead to destructive severe storms this past weekend. The worst of the days was easily Sunday, with over 300 reports of severe weather, including hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 110814-1779124204412.png">A strong tornado touched down in Nebraska as a part of the outbreak. Even with all of this damage, no injuries were reported Sunday afternoon.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056161399349580033" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056161399349580033?s=20"></div>In a recent update after the damage survey labeled that Saint Libory tornado and EF3!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 050928-1779188995338.png">Other places were spared tornado damage but picked up MASSIVE hailstones. It's not a surprise that the cell responsible for the damage in Palmer also produced the largest hailstone on the day.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 111222-1779124373927.png">All of this severe weather came on the heels of an active day to start off the weekend! Severe storms lead to baseball-plus-sized hail in Missouri and Kansas, and prompted a Flash Flood Emergency in the Trenton, MO area after 6+ inches of rain fell.<h1>MONDAY</h1>Yet another big severe weather day was felt across the Midwest. We received roughly 20 tornado reports across Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas. Hefty damaging winds and large hail reports came pouring out yesterday as well!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 101520-1779207339213.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 050444-1779188693950.png">A Particularly Dangerous Situation Tornado Watch was issued ahead of several tornado-warned storms. Some touched down, giving us views just like this one out of Blue Rapids, Kansas!<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056524242070741358" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056524242070741358"></div><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 050839-1779188929043.png">

Severe Storms Leave Trail of Destruction on 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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ROCKIES - The precipitation will continue to slow down through Tuesday morning, but more precipitation and snow will be possible on Tuesday afternoon. Totals may still be heavier in the Rocky Mountains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163246-1779143794793.png">Behind this wintry, rainy weather, temperatures will be at their coolest through Tuesday morning. This has prompted frost and freeze alerts for Tuesday morning for the High Country. Be sure to protect any sensitive vegetation overnight if you want it to last this freeze!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163251-1779143843851.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 163259-1779143848747.png">Check back in to WeatherNation for the latest.

Jackie Brown

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

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Numerous fires have been burning from the panhandle to the western Plains. Through Tuesday morning, there is an extreme fire danger across these areas. This is the highest level of outlook that the Storm Prediction Center issues. The extreme risk is not often issued, and typically denotes conditions that could lead to the unstoppable spread of fires. Residents in these areas should review their evacuation plans and have a "go bag" ready with essential items like medications and important documents. Don't forget your pets!Our field correspondent, Jonathan Petramala has been following these fires, and here's his latest report.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056487491100975119" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056487491100975119"></div>The fire danger weans as we head into Tuesday but remains at elevated levels for portions of Arizona and New Mexico.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 162935-1779143455125.png">Make sure you're prepared for fire danger and know all the ways to prevent a fire too.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-18 085121-1779115885540.png">

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

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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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Scattered severe storms have been moving through portions of the Great Plains and Midwest over the last few days. The same low pressure system will hardly move on Saturday, prompting another round of severe storms. Saturday's storms have produced winds between 60-70 mph and and up to 3.00" hail in Nebraska.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1778984462328.png"> <h1>Outlook Overnight</h1>There is an Enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) across parts of Nebraska and Kansas. Additionally, a Slight risk (level 2 out of 5) includes the surrounding areas to Central Iowa and Northern Missouri.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1778984497778.png">Extra large hailstones (over golf ball size - 2"+) and hurricane force gusts (74+ mph) are possible for areas below, which should be the more widespread hazards.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1778984575307.png">Several tornadoes are possible as well especially between Interstate 70 and 80. A tornado or two could be strong if they form!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1778984636703.png"><h1>Forecast</h1> Storms in the Plains and Midwest could persist well into the overnight hours, so please have multiple ways to get severe weather alerts that can wake you up! In addition the heavy rain and flooding threat will be around so remember turn around don't drown.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/BARON 5-1778984798405.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Since storms won't be widespread, only spotty heavy rain is expected. Isolated flash flooding is possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1778984829518.png">

Jesse Kelley

Saturday Severe Storms; Midwest to the Ohio Valley

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[<a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/News/News-Article/ArtMID/6226/ArticleID/1845/Atmospheric-rivers-drive-western-US-flood-damages-says-RISA-funded-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOAA</a> by <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/News/News-Article/PID/6226/authorid/36/AuthorName/Alison-Stevens">Alison Stevens</a>]   New research recently published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/advances/5/12/eaax4631.full.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science Advances</a> found that <a href="http://bit.ly/2j5naGw">atmospheric rivers</a> accounted for 84% of flood damages, or $42.6 billion, across the western United States from 1978-2017. Supported by NOAA's Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) and co-authored by <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/Meet-the-Divisions/Climate-and-Societal-Interactions/RISA/RISA-Teams/CNAP#739083-risa-teams">California-Nevada RISA</a> PI Alexander Gershunov, the study analyzed 40 years of data from the National Flood Insurance Program to quantify atmospheric rivers’ economic impacts.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-70827" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2017/01/Atmospheric-River.jpg" alt="" width="3248" height="2229" />

 Not only were atmospheric rivers the primary driver across all 11 states, with annual average damages of $1.1 billion, but they also caused over 95% and even exceeded 99% of flood damages in some coastal areas of northern California and the Pacific Northwest. 

In addition, the authors used a recently developed atmospheric rivers intensity and duration scale varying from 1 (weak) to 5 (exceptional) to assess how flood damages change with each category. They found that each increase in the atmospheric intensity and duration scale corresponds to a roughly 10-fold increase in flood damages. Flood damages from atmospheric rivers are expected to increase in the face of rising population, increased development, and climate change.

Atmospheric Rivers Drive Western U.S. Flood Damages

Early Taste of Summer Heat Expands Across the East

A big warmup is taking hold across the easter

Repeated Rain Raises the Flood Threat Down South

Whenever we talk about the severe weather, it

Severe Storms Stick Around Midweek

We've had quite the active stretch to start t

Severe Storms Leave Trail of Destruction on the Plains

SUNDAYA potent setup, fueled by record hot te

Spring: Frost Alerts Post Winter Alerts in High Country

ROCKIES - The precipitation will continue to

Extreme Fire Danger Causes Thousands of Acres Burned

Numerous fires have been burning from the pan

Saturday Severe Storms; Midwest to the Ohio Valley

Scattered severe storms have been moving thro