Brittany Lockley

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Two sprawling storm systems are tracking from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, bringing prolonged periods of heavy rain, severe&nbsp;thunderstorms,&nbsp;and flooding concerns to much of the country. The multi-day weather pattern began in the Southwest and is gradually shifting east,&nbsp;impacting&nbsp;more than 30 states from the Plains to the East Coast.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 06-26-30-1767792414178.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Outlooks &amp; Timing</h1>The first storm system developed over the Four Corners region, spreading rain across parts of Arizona and New Mexico before intensifying as it moved into the Southern Plains. As the system advances, widespread rain is expected across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley, with thunderstorms developing along and ahead of a cold front. Some storms may become severe, producing damaging wind gusts, hail and isolated tornadoes, particularly across the Deep South and Tennessee Valley.&nbsp;The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk (Level 2 out of 5) for Thursday's storms, with an increased wind and tornado threat in eastern OK.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-08 055129-1767876716642.png">Heavy rainfall is a major concern with this setup, as repeated rounds of rain could lead to flash flooding in areas where the ground becomes saturated. Parts of the Mid-South and Southeast, including sections of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, could see several inches of rain over a short period of time. Flood watches and warnings may be issued as the storm progresses eastward.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-08 07-56-09-1767884209885.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Friday, a second storm system is expected to reinforce the unsettled pattern. Friday's outlook covers areas from east Texas through Kentucky, with a level 2 (slight) risk from Baton Rouge to Nashville, which means storms are expected to be slightly more widespread, stronger, and could last longer. All modes of severe weather (wind, hail, and tornadoes) will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 121218-1767813144054.png">Warm and moist air is expected to remain in place as the next trough begins to mature, with storms targeting the Mississippi Valley. By the early afternoon, daytime heating will help increase instability enough to lead to scattered severe storms developing. Those storms are expected to intensify through the late afternoon hours, with some persisting into the evening and overnight. This will likely include a tornado threat, so be sure to review your tornado safety plan and have multiple ways to get severe weather alerts that can wake you up.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-08 07-57-21-1767884280647.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rain &amp; FloodingRainfall rates will increase significantly on Friday across the south, with 1-2" per hour possible, possibly more. This means some areas could receive 4-6 inches in a short period of time, which could lead to flash flooding.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 121322-1767813211622.png">The WPC has issued a level 2 outlook for excessive rainfall (flash flooding) for Friday, with areas from Middle/East Tennessee into northern Alabama and Mississippi mostly likely to see flooding develop. If you live in a flood-prone location, review your flooding plan to seek higher ground if flood waters threaten.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 062727-1767792778072.png">Catch updates during our top weather headlines (:00, :20, :40 past the hour) or get the latest regional update for the East and Central U.S. at :10 and :30 past the hour.

Severe Storms Target the South Through Friday

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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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If you were tired of dusting off the old snow shovel up north, you might want to avert your eyes. We have several waves impacting the Central U.S., with snow expected in the Plains and Midwest!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 06-29-19-1767792578447.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Temperature Drop</h1>After the first low moves through on Thursday, temperatures are going to drop dramatically! This will set the stage for the second wave, where it'll have far cooler temperatures to work with, meaning ideal conditions for snow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-08 054959-1767876607863.png">Wind chill values will also be impacted by these two waves, dropping some of these temperatures to well below zero.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web3-1767794539082.png"><h1>Forecast &amp; Timing</h1>With relatively warmer temperatures ahead of the first wave, whether or not you get snow, rain, or even freezing rain will depend on how far north and west you are. Rain will likely start to change to sleet and snow around I-35 in Minnesota Thursday evening, with this band of wintry weather pushing across Northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan overnight. As that first low clears to the east, the next round of snow will begin to develop Friday afternoon in the Upper-Midwest along the base of a trough. As gulf moisture meets this trough, widespread snow is expected to develop around the Great Lakes and Upper-Midwest. Snow will wrap around the low as it gradually moves across the Great Lakes through Sunday morning.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-08 06-21-20-1767878954611.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Areas east of the Dakotas are expecting 1-3 inches of snow, with some areas expected 3-6 inches (dark blue into purple color). Heaviest snow is expected around the Great Lakes in northern Michigan and eastern Wisconsin. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-08 062115-1767878939344.png">For the latest in the Central Region, tune in live at :30 past the hour or get it on demand anytime with the WeatherNation app!

Rounds of Snow Returning to the Midwest

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Tracey Anthony

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This first full week of January has brought many record highs across the country, with more expected through the end of the week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 184015-1767836452352.png">Even widespread record warm lows! Warm overnights will impact areas, from the Plains to the Northeast, many spots could have their warmest overnight lows on record for early January.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 184020-1767836461177.png">On Wednesday, more records fell across the country, including cities like Hattiesburg, MS, reaching 81 degrees!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174120-1767832887593.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174113-1767832892942.png">As the ridge shifts east and the trough moves in, some will see temperature drops as we head into the second half of the week. Some of us will still be feeling the springtime warmth for the next day or so.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web 2-1767882381286.png">Check out these forecasted temperatures for next week! We're looking at widespread highs of 20° or more above average again! Warm weather looks like it'll be a staple of January, with the Climate Prediction Center highlighting much of the lower 48 that could see above-average temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174240-1767832975087.png">

First Full Week of January Feeling Warm

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It has been one year since the Palisades and Eaton fires burned through local communities in Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025. The lasting impacts are still being felt across the region, both on the ground and in the atmosphere. The fires took 31 lives and burned down 18,000 buildings and homes.&nbsp;The fires ignited during a period of extreme fire weather, fueled by prolonged drought, critically low humidity, and strong offshore winds. The Palisades&nbsp;fire initially started with an open flame in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Firefighters were able to contain&nbsp;the flames above ground, but the fire continued to burn underground. At the time of ignition, relative humidity values dropped into the single digits, while wind gusts frequently exceeded 40 to 60 mph, creating ideal conditions for the rapid spread of the fire. The National Weather Service even issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation for these fires. These factors allowed flames to move miles in just hours, overwhelming containment efforts during the initial stages. The Palisades fire grew to 23,707 acres.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 041825-1767784832298.png">The Eaton Fire ignited in Altadena shortly after the Palisades Fire. In this fire, close to 10,000 homes were destroyed and 19 lives were lost, as the fire ravaged 14,021 acres by the time of its containment on January 31, 2024.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 04-18-40-1767784809714.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall deficits leading up to the fires played a major role in their intensity. Many areas had received less than 50 percent of their average precipitation over the previous 6 to 12 months, resulting in exceptionally dry vegetation. Live fuel moisture levels were near record lows for late season, and energy release components, an index used to measure potential fire intensity, were well above climatological averages. &nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 040748-1767784265056.png">Once the fires were established, towering smoke plumes injected particulates high into the atmosphere, degrading air quality across hundreds of miles and prompting repeated air quality alerts as fine particulate concentrations surged well above health-based thresholds.&nbsp;In the aftermath, the weather continued to complicate recovery. The first significant rain events following the fires produced short bursts of heavy rainfall, falling on soils unable to absorb water efficiently. Rainfall rates of just a half inch per hour were enough to trigger runoff, mudslides, and debris flows within burn scars. Damaging roads and infrastructure months after the flames were extinguished. Emergency managers were forced to pivot from wildfire response to managing the floods, highlighting the compound risks associated with extreme weather.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 091018-1767802242571.png">A year later, both fires are on California's most destructive fires list. Weather and climate data show early signs of ecological recovery, but also ongoing vulnerability. Native grasses and shrubs have begun to return, aided by winter&nbsp;rainfall.&nbsp;The Palisades and Eaton fires now serve as a stark example of how weather extremes, heat, wind, drought, and heavy rainfall are reshaping wildfire behavior. &nbsp;

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

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The Northeastern U.S. has been one of the more active regions of the country so far this winter in terms of ice and snow, with plenty piling up around the Great Lakes and into New England. A warmer system is expected to track through the Northeast to end the week, followed by a colder weekend system that is expected to bring back ice and snow.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/01-07 rne-1767833381870.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The first low-pressure system will be accompanied by near-record warmth, leading to mostly rain falling on Friday. By Saturday, colder air returns to the I-90 corridor to allow higher elevations to see a mix of ice and sleet, with lower elevation rain. Heading into Sunday, much cooler air develops in Northwesterly flow to allow for light snow to fall, though it looks to mostly impact areas closer to the Great Lakes versus the I-95 corridor. There's still lots of time for this forecast to change - so check back in with us! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174954-1767833411725.png">Freezing rain and sleet could be significant for some areas into Saturday, with northern New York and New England dealing with slick conditions and accretions of ice. This forecast will change considerably, so be sure to get an update before the end of the week!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 175000-1767833426440.png"> Snow will mostly be on the lighter side with pockets of moderate rainfall (1-2" on the high end). Flash flooding is not expected, but some nuisance flooding (ponding on roadways) is possible. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 133637-1767818283288.png">Temperatures will be quite warm with the first two waves of low pressure, before the cold front arrives Sunday into Monday. Get the latest in the Northeast in the East Regional Forecast anytime with the WeatherNation app - or tune in live at :10 past the hour!

Jackie Brown

Another Round of Ice & Snow for the Northeast This Weekend

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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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It's been a slow start to the ski season for a lot of our resorts out west, so any snow in the forecast should bring a little hope to the skiers and boarders out there. Winter weather alerts have been issued across the Four Corners through Friday. Totals will vary based on elevation.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174402-1767833193610.png">Across Arizona and New Mexico, we've been getting rainfall, and that will continue overnight. In the meantime, snow will start to pile up in Colorado, Utah, and the higher elevations of the southern Four Corners.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/01-07 rsw rsc-1767833203813.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Through Friday, some of our ski resorts could max out around a foot. For the Colorado Rockies and resorts of Utah, we'll be fortunate enough if we see around 9" to one foot for resorts like Vail and Steamboat Springs.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174409-1767833222196.png"><h2>Denver Area</h2>Models are starting to get better correlated on what the outcome for Thursday's snowfall is. Temperatures look to be a bit cooler, cool enough to support upwards of 1-5" of snow in the Denver area.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 154256-1767825841035.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174716-1767833250369.png"><h2>Salt Lake City</h2>SLC has seen barely any snow this season. So far, we've only had 0.1" of snow downtown. The forecast from the National Weather Service has a forecast of 1-2" in the city.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 154348-1767825872371.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 174723-1767833255996.png">Whether you're hopeful or skeptical of this forecast, be sure to join us on WeatherNation live for the latest breakdown of these forecasts!

Snow Returns to Ski Country

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NORTHEAST - We've had a series of clipper systems move from the Northern Plains over the Great Lakes and past the Northeast over a lot of the Christmas holidays. Now that we're back for the first full week of work and school, we have more of the same. Through tonight, winter weather advisories have been issued for portions of northern New England for a bit of sleet, ice, and a couple of quick inches of snowfall. This will likely lead to slick spots on the road tonight and tomorrow morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web1-1767781875352.png">Here's a look at our forecast totals from now through Wednesday. Higher elevations may see more than a couple of inches, but otherwise, totals will be fairly minimal.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Web2-1767781901208.png">Timing things out through Wednesday morning, we currently have a wintry mix pushing through the northeast along a frontal boundary and that will continue through Wednesday morning in these areas.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 03-33-24-1767782032503.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h2>Next System To Watch</h2>After we receive a little bit of snowfall, another warmer system is set to move into the northeast as we head into the latter half of the work week. With warmer temperatures in store, this will likely bring in more rain than snowfall. That could lead to some slushy conditions, especially if you have snowfall on the ground in your area. Rain starts to push in Thursday through Saturday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 03-32-08-1767782070128.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>For more of these details be sure to join us LIVE on WeatherNation!

Adrian Hernandez

Wintry Weather to Rain Chances In The Northeast

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The Climate Prediction Center has issued an El Niño Watch ahead of the upcoming winter season for the Northern Hemisphere.

What does this mean exactly? El Niño Southern Oscillation, commonly referred to as ENSO, is a periodic fluctuation of sea surface temperatures over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean that subsequently affects weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere. The warming phase of the sea temperature is known as El Niño and the cooling phase as La Niña.

In this case for the year, an El Niño is forecasted for late fall/early winter.

How will this affect the U.S. this winter?

The graphic below is a general overview of how an average El Niño plays out during the winter months. But remember, there are strong and weak El Niños which yield variances in certain regions of the country.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-97607 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/09/ezgif.com-video-to-gif-34.gif" alt="El Niño Watch in Effect for Late Fall/Winter" width="600" height="338" />

Last year was a La Niña winter which yielded a substantial decrease in snowpack across the West and Southwest which made for increasing drought conditions into the Spring and Summer of 2018.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-97608 size-large" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Capture-31-728x408.jpg" alt="El Niño Watch in Effect for Late Fall/Winter" width="728" height="408" />

Even an average La Niña would be extremely beneficial for parts of the Intermountain West where drought categories are in the highest range possible.

Nearly 70% of the state of Colorado is under some category of drought and moisture is desperately needed. This is the main reason we have seen peak fall color much earlier in the high country as drought stricken trees tend to shut down much earlier ahead of the upcoming winter season.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-97610" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/09/ezgif.com-video-to-gif-35.gif" alt="El Niño Watch in Effect for Late Fall/Winter" width="724" height="408" />

A possible El Niño winter would mean great things for nearly all of the West and Southwest.

Colorado, for example, almost always ends the winter season with an above average snow pack during El Niño years. The 2015-2016 winter was a strong El Niño (or what was referred to as a Godzilla El Niño) where most of the mountains ended up with more than double the season's normal snowpack, and Denver saw its first major blizzard in more than a decade.

Stay tuned. More of this to come as we look for the next update coming out soon from the Climate Prediction Center.

Meteorologist <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/merry-matthews/">Merry Matthews</a>

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