Meteorologist Jesse Kelley is excited to join the talented staff at Weather Nation. Jesse spent most of his childhood in Birmingham, Alabama. The state of Alabama is prone to seeing various types of weather from severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and winter weather. For college, Jesse attended the University of South Alabama where he received his degree in Broadcast Meteorology along with minors in Math and Geography. From Alabama, Jesse started his broadcast television working three years at KAVU-TV in Victoria. Recently, he finished a stint in Shreveport, LA. Jesse and his wife are looking forward to making the Rocky Mountains and Colorado home. If you would like to follow me, you can follow me on Twitter @JesseKelleywx and on Facebook at Meteorologist Jesse Kelley.

Jesse Kelley

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COLORADO - An estimated 70+ car pileup happened on Colorado's I-70 near the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel earlier on Tuesday, April 14th. Light snow was being reported throughout the day. I-70 was closed well into Tuesday evening, but has since been reopened.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044230476697674132" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044230476697674132"></div>A frontal boundary is moving across the Northern Rockies. As a result, widespread winter weather alerts are in place for higher elevations across the Northwest.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368636354.png">This system is expected to reach Utah by Thursday and much of Colorado by Friday. This next round of snow for Colorado looks to bring snow levels lower, down to the I-25 corridor.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776368744309.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Snowfall totals will vary by elevation, but mountainous areas could pick up 1-2 feet of snow through the week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368777034.png">The air will feel much cooler over the next few days. Numerous areas are under frost and freeze alerts.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368815559.png">In true Colorado fashion, Denver's nighttime lows will drop into the 20s and 30s after a mild start on Thursday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368844993.png">More details on this forecast can be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

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Kevin Schneider

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After a busy start to the week, the weekend doesn't look like it will let up much. Another trough will swing in, replacing another that kept severe chances around all week. This next trough (above) that will drop in looks like it could be a touch stronger even. It's early in the forecast, but let's talk about what we know.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-15 102133-1776270101860.png">It looks like there will be just as much unstable air to work with, helping power storms in the afternoon. Because many of the ingredients don't change, just their origin, the severe outlook will look familiar.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776367233994.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776367397433.png">Right now, the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an Enhanced Risk from Oklahoma all the way back into the Great Lakes. All modes will be possible Friday including the potential of strong tornadoes, hurricane force winds, and very large hail. Thunderstorms will begin to fire up along the front during the afternoon hours and take off from there into the evening and overnight hours. Saturday, the upper level low slides into the Northeast bringing the potential of severe weather into areas like Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776367570824.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776367601616.png">A big cooldown is in store for most east of the Rockies. Considering how warm we've been, it'll be a very much welcome change!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-16 06-37-20-1776335853250.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Next Severe Threat: Friday and Saturday

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UPPER MIDWEST and GREAT LAKES - Three straight days of destructive severe storms moved through Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wednesday, NWS Kansas City confirmed two EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes that hit the city of Clinton, MO. Check out the video below of the tornado knocking over a fuel tanks.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/VO_041626_RNC_CLINTON, MO_AWESOME CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE TORNADO VORTICE &amp; KNOCKS OVER LARGE CYLINDERS_FB_MS_E041626-1776367783604.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 073701-1776346632507.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044202476317093912" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044202476317093912"></div><h2>Thursday</h2>The outlook shifts east and south for Thursday. As the cold front sweeps through, we'll have a MARGINAL (level 1 out of 5) risk for severe weather for most of the outlook. However, the SPC has higher confidence in Northern Arkansas, Southern Missouri, and central New York chances of severe weather. A SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk for severe weather is issued for those areas, with all threats being on the table. If you are in the brown shaded area below, you have an elevated risk of seeing a tornado. Have a severe weather plan in place as you go about your day.<h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 073857-1776346756175.png">Timing</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/New Baron Video 3-1776367968861.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>With multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms in the same areas, this may lead to an isolated to scattered flooding risk across the Great Lakes region. Be prepared for flooding, especially if you still have some snow on the ground; frozen ground can take longer to absorb flood waters compared to unfrozen ground. Flood alerts continue into Friday with the next round of severe storms in the forecast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368095919.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1776368119393.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044599476434907195" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044599476434907195"></div>

Severe Storms Leave a Mark on the Great Lakes

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Record high temperatures are in the forecast for the second half of the work week, and in fact, we broke dozens of records on Wednesday across the northeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-15 175039-1776297071030.png">Over the next several days, multiple cities could challenge or break daily records, with temperatures running more than 20 degrees above average.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 062741-1776335272812.png">Across the Southeast, temperatures will remain well above normal. Many cities are expected to approach 90 degrees today, Wednesday, and Thursday far above the typical April highs in the 70s.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 062811-1776335306351.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 062843-1776335339243.png"><h3>Fire Danger</h3>With this kind of warmth, fire concerns increase. Hot, dry conditions can quickly dry out soils and vegetation, creating more fuel for fires. There is an elevated threat of fire danger. By Thursday, the elevated risk is across portions of Georgia to Virginia.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-16 062921-1776335374964.png">

Adrian Hernandez

Eastern Heat + Fire Danger

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SW PLAINS - Portions of Texas and Oklahoma are at risk of severe thunderstorms through Thursday morning. The threat for severe storms is expected to slow into the overnight hours but is still non-zero. Wind reports earlier on Wednesday gusted up to 84 mph in Elk City, Oklahoma.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-15 195038-1776304346569.png">In addition to this significant hail risk, there is also a risk of tornadoes with these supercells.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-15 195124-1776304385162.png">The risk for flooding is fairly minimal in these areas, but models do have a few localized, heavier downpours through the next couple of days in these areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-15 132632-1776281196660.png">

Alana Cameron

Overnight Storms Slow for Texas and Oklahoma

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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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<h1>Multi-Day Severe Storm Set-Up</h1>We continue to see the busy April pattern from Texas to the Great Lakes. A huge trough will swing through, bringing a severe threat risk on Tuesday and Wednesday. All severe threats will be possible, including damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes. Heavy rainfall will also be embedded in some storms, raising concerns about flooding. Make sure to stay with us for the latest updates and shifts in the forecast.An ENHANCED (level 3 out of 5) risk for severe weather is in place on Tuesday. The outlook even expands a SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk out into the northeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-14 072908-1776173358269.jpg">Similarly, on Wednesday, we'll have another outlook where two hot spots for severe weather are highlighted. At this point, however, a SLIGHT (level 2 out of 5) risk for severe weather is issued.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-14 063457-1776162907110.png">Daytime heating will help to spark up thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Some storms will remain strong into the evening and nighttime hours, so make sure to have multiple ways to get alerts.In addition to severe storm hazards (wind, hail, and tornadoes), heavy rainfall rates are expected to lead to flash flood potential. It doesn't appear to be a high-end flooding threat, but as the forecast draws closer, we will keep you updated!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-14 073108-1776173482064.jpg">For a deep dive into the north and south sides of this severe threat, visit the following articles on our website! <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/upper-midwest-and-great-lakes-enhanced-risks">North Side</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/dryline-driven-storms-for-texas-and-oklahoma">South Side</a>

Storm Overview: Who All Is At Risk This Week?

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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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Spring is in full swing which means it's time to start looking ahead to this year's upcoming hurricane season in the Atlantic! Each year, Colorado State University's Tropical Weather Department releases multiple forecasts for the Atlantic Hurricane Season, including one of the earliest issued among major forecasters.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 065207-1775740414924.png"> CSU just released their first forecast for 2026, which is calling for a near normal to slightly below average season with 13 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. The average season in the Atlantic is just slightly higher than this initial prediction, meaning several impactful storms are still possible. As a reminder, even below average seasons can have major impacts depending on where storms form which is impossible to predict months ahead of time.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 065246-1775740421912.png">You've probably heard rumblings about the burgeoning El Ni­­ños, and possible Super Ni­­ño, shaping up in the tropical Pacific. The expectation for an El Ni­­ño event during the peak of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane season is a big factor in CSU's below average forecast, along with near normal sea surface temperatures, which have been much above average in recent seasons.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 065226-1775739587003.png">The confidence in an El Nino developing this summer is quite high, but the remaining question is how strong will the event be? Weak El Ni­­ños typically have a lower impact on the tropics in the Atlantic while strong El Ni­­ños have a more consistent impact. This year's El Ni­­ño is trending toward the strong side, but it's still too early to say for certain.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2042226020179161097" src="https://x.com/NWSCPC/status/2042226020179161097"></div>Why do El Ni­­ños typically reduce hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin? The warmer water in the equatorial pacific often leads to a more energetic sub-tropical jet, leading to stronger winds in the upper-atmosphere over the Caribbean. Surface winds in the Caribbean most often comes from the east, known as the trade winds. When these winds lay under strong winds from the opposite (or even the same direction), it leads to strong wind shear which tears hurricanes apart.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 063418-1775740706915.png">Even with a slightly below average season, two major hurricanes are expected with many other named storms. Any named storm that hits land can have major to extreme impacts, so stay prepared and stay tuned. WeatherNation will always keep you updated on the latest in the tropics!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 065301-1775741404492.png">

Tracey Anthony

CSU Releases First Hurricane Forecast for 2026

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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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Another day of increasing fire danger for the Four Corners.  Areas of Colorado are under a fire weather danger throughout Wednesday and red flag warnings are in place from the central to western part of the Centennial State.  Here is the very latest on today's risk.
<h1>Alerts</h1>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-113536 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/10/cape-hat-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

<img class="alignnone wp-image-113537 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/10/karen-fan-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

All the ingredients will be in the forecast today across Central Colorado leading to an increase in fire danger.  You will want to use caution in the red flag areas with any outdoor activities that can create sparks or flames.
<h1>Wind Forecast</h1>
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<img class="alignnone wp-image-113538 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/10/Capture-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

The winds shouldn't be an issue for a majority of the Southwest, but over Colorado the wind speeds will be strong enough to create dangerous conditions.  This will likely be during the afternoon hours.
<h1>Prevention Tips</h1>
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Here are some tips to keep in mind to help prevent starting any wildfires.  This includes obeying local burn bans and proper disposal of cigarettes and matches.

Keep checking with WeatherNation for the latest on today's fire risk.

Fire Weather Risk for Colorado Wednesday

Alerts

Wind Forecast

Prevention Tips

Colorado I-70 Pileup on Tuesday, More Snow Late Week

COLORADO - An estimated 70+ car pileup happen

Next Severe Threat: Friday and Saturday

After a busy start to the week, the weekend d

Severe Storms Leave a Mark on the Great Lakes

UPPER MIDWEST and GREAT LAKES - Three straigh

Eastern Heat + Fire Danger

Record high temperatures are in the forecast

Overnight Storms Slow for Texas and Oklahoma

SW PLAINS - Portions of Texas and Oklahoma ar

Storm Overview: Who All Is At Risk This Week?

Multi-Day Severe Storm Set-UpWe continue to s

CSU Releases First Hurricane Forecast for 2026

Spring is in full swing which means it's time