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

RobBradleyjpeg-1679518597323.jpeg

Strong storms rocked the Midwest and Plains again on Thursday afternoon. Locations in both South Dakota and Iowa recorded hailstones of at least 3" in diameter!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 194546-1783043173286.png"><h1>STORM TIMING:</h1>Storms from the previous day will likely persist into the overnights and mornings before a new round of storms gets triggered by the afternoon. As the frontal boundary drops to the south to end the week, storm initiation will track south with the boundary while storms continue to move to the east.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/stormsforever-1783043297355.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Outlooks / Hazards</h1>The threat of severe weather continues through Thursday night (top of page) with a wide area under a level 2 and level 3 threat! This includes the chance for an isolated tornado, but significant wind gusts and large hail are the primary hazards with this system.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 194839-1783043337180.png">The outlook issued for Friday has a large level 2 threat from parts of Ohio through South Dakota. Wind and hail will remain the primary concern. A heightened threat has been highlighted across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 194915-1783043363915.png">

Dave Holder

Rounds of Severe Storms Target the Midwest

Screenshot20260702194509png-1783043125567.png

Tracey Anthony

Tracey2jpeg-1737574224773.jpeg

The Aspen Acres fire burning in Southern Colorado, near Pueblo, is over 47,000 acres with no containment. Evacuations remain in place as the fire is still expected to grow due to strong winds. <div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2071956924137136402" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2071956924137136402?s=20"></div>Numerous additional wildfires continue to burn across Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, scorching tens of thousands of acres.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1783020323426.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2072523156376752267" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2072523156376752267"></div>These fires are also sending smoke and hazardous air quality through the four corners. Air quality alerts are in effect across a large portion of Colorado, including Denver.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 082804-1782916092423.png"><h1>Fire Outlooks</h1>A critical fire risk will continues for Thursday and Friday. The wildfires that are ongoing out west are postponing firework shows for the Fourth of July. If you are planning to use fireworks, be careful and have a bucket of water nearby if a fire was to start. The strong winds and low humidity create spread those fires quickly.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-03-29 062145-1783000531063.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-03-29 062205-1783000560625.png">This is especially important as we move towards the 4th of July, as it's possible to continue these fire conditions into the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 043144-1782556311355.png">Residents are encouraged to stay informed, follow local evacuation orders, and do their part to help prevent the start and spread of wildfires this summer.

Jesse Kelley

Massive Fires Burn in the Four Corners

Screenshot20260630083417jpg-1782856264086.jpeg

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.

JesseKelleyjpeg-1679519197409.jpeg

Severe storms will be possible as we head towards the holiday weekend across the Northeast ahead of a heatwave that is sending heat index values into the triple digits.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/dangerous-stretch-of-heat-shaping-up-this-week">Dangerous Stretch of Heat Shaping Up This Week</a>A threat of severe weather sticks around through tonight across portions of Upstate New York and New England. An isolated severe storm or two is still possible within this outlook.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1783042582019.png">A better chance of severe storms will come along for Friday and Saturday across the Northeast with some storms reaching severe limits.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/BARON 5-1783042781818.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>A Marginal risk for severe weather sticks around the Northeast into the end of the work week. A Slight Risk for severe storms has been introduced for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest on Friday and Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 162008-1783030830204.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1783042823149.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 162112-1783030884100.png">For more details on the threats and timing of these storms, tune in to WeatherNation :10 past the hour for your Eastern Regional Forecast.

Storms Spark up in the Northeast Amid Heatwave

1-1783042823149.png

DaveHolderjpeg-1679518965415.jpeg

While upper-level ridging dominates the weather pattern across the eastern half of the country, thunderstorm development has remained possible along the southern periphery. You can see it in the pattern of severe storm reports on Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-03-29 060538-1782995247093.png">As heat and humidity build each day, thunderstorm development will remain possible on the edge of high pressure. The main threat being straight-line damaging winds; gusts over 60mph will be possible. With locations like Nashville expecting a feels-like temperature over 110 degrees, there will be lots of instability for these storms to work with!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1783042964218.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 161524-1783030532244.png"> While not directly underneath the heat dome, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/dangerous-stretch-of-heat-leads-us-to-the-4th">strong heat and humidity</a> have helped to fuel the storms.

Muggy and Stormy in the South

Screenshot20260329061107png-1782998621158.png

Kevin Schneider

A021DDE71AA34C50BB5468289EA6B1D7jpeg-1699372868991.jpeg

Early in the season, we watch closer to the coasts here at home for development in the Hurricane Season. Until the waves coming off the coast of Africa start to fly and quit losing the battle to Saharan Dust, old fronts are the leading source of development.Currently, a frontal boundary moving through the southeastern U.S. has prompted a marginal risk for severe weather across portions of the Southeast. Main threat will be damaging winds. Earlier this week, the National Hurricane Center was monitoring an area of potential tropical interest. That area is no longer expected to form into a tropical system. For now, the only name we have crossed off for the Atlantic season is Arthur.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 063531-1782563982336.jpg">In the Eastern Pacific, on the other hand, Tropical Storm Douglas formed on Wednesday. This system is set to strengthen a little bit before weakening over open waters, with no impacts to land.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/douglassssss-1782952012931.png">

Jackie Brown

Slow-Moving Front No Longer Expected to Develop Tropically, Monitoring Eastern Pacific

Screenshot20260630153850png-1782855532398.png

WeatherNation Meteorologists

headshotspng-1676305264677.png

As Summer settles in across the Central U.S., MCSs, also known as Mesoscale Convective Systems, become more prevalent. These large clusters of thunderstorms can organize and persist for hours, travel hundreds of miles, and produce all modes of severe weather. The weather pattern over the next few days will favor repeated rounds of these storm complexes across the Plains &amp; Midwest.Strong and severe thunderstorms remain possible in the Mid South over the next few days as storms ride a ridge of high pressure. This will target the same areas through the end of the week to see severe weather. <h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/what-is-an-mcs">WHAT IS AN MCS: READ MORE HERE</a></h4><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/BARON 5-1782612588554.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>For the overnight, a few storms could still be severe across parts of the Ohio Valley before being steering into the Carolinas for Sunday. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 133648-1782589019330.png">These storms will dump rain on the same areas, increasing the risk of flooding in some of the same spots that already flooded earlier this week. For more on the flooding risk, read this <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-weather-returns-this-weekend">related article</a> on the flood potential.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/1-1782612765591.png">

'MCS' Season Brings Severe and Flooding Threats Across the Southeast

Screenshot20260627074028png-1782567632795.png

Another day, another Illinois tornado. That's just how this spring has gone in the Midwest. A low pressure system brought numerous severe storms to the Midwest on Wednesday, including large hail and flooding in Wisconsin, with strong winds, a tornado, and flooding in Illinois.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2070122338226749842" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2070122338226749842"></div><h1>Forecast</h1>The low pressure system that spawned Wednesday's storms is now moving east into New England bringing severe weather chances for Friday. A new low forms along the same front to also produce a severe risk across the Ohio River Friday. This is primarily for the threat of damaging winds but an isolated tornado or two will be possible (top of page).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/1-1782440323140.png">The stalled boundary will the focal point for storms on Friday. The first low moving across the Northeast will produce severe storms across parts of New England. Secondly, as the new coming out of Missouri will produce severe weather for Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, and Kentucky during the afternoon and evening hours. All modes will be possible. The front slides into the Carolinas bringing the Carolinas at play for severe weather on Saturday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/BARON 5-1782440710501.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>As a trailing low moves in on Saturday, a few more severe storms will be possible as the low tracks into the Southeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/pic5-1782421830617.png">Heavy rainfall will accompany strong storms, leading to isolated flood potential. The higher chance for flooding will stick to areas along and west of the Appalachians, through the Ohio River, and up to I-70.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/1-1782440751771.png">You Eastern Regional Forecast can be viewed on demand anytime with the WeatherNation app, or tune in live at :10 past the hour!

Severe Threat Tracks into the Northeast Friday

1-1782440323140.png

A storm system moving through the middle of the nation brought heavy snow to the Central and Southern Plains over the last 36 hours. Winter weather alerts remain in effect for portions of Missouri and Illinois for a couple of inches of additional snowfall.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-117710" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2020/01/wwa2-2.png" alt="" width="1634" height="900" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-117711" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2020/01/snow-14.png" alt="" width="1385" height="755" />

The weakening storm system will along the Gulf of Mexico coastline into warmer air. Snow will gradually come to an end this afternoon (Wednesday).

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-117714" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2020/01/noon-3.png" alt="" width="1622" height="879" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-117712" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2020/01/4p-2.png" alt="" width="1646" height="846" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-117713" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2020/01/8p-2.png" alt="" width="1597" height="915" />

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Heavy Snow for the Central and Southern Plains

Rounds of Severe Storms Target the Midwest

Strong storms rocked the Midwest and Plains a

Massive Fires Burn in the Four Corners

The Aspen Acres fire burning in Southern Colo

Storms Spark up in the Northeast Amid Heatwave

Severe storms will be possible as we head tow

Muggy and Stormy in the South

While upper-level ridging dominates the weath

Slow-Moving Front No Longer Expected to Develop Tropically, Monitoring Eastern Pacific

Early in the season, we watch closer to the c

'MCS' Season Brings Severe and Flooding Threats Across the Southeast

As Summer settles in across the Central U.S.,

Severe Threat Tracks into the Northeast Friday

Another day, another Illinois tornado. That's