Brittany Lockley

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A renewed round of severe weather is expected to take aim at the Plains late this week, bringing the potential for large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. After a brief lull, atmospheric conditions are once again becoming favorable for strong to severe storms as warm, moist air surges northward and clashes with an incoming system. The Storm Prediction Center is already highlighting an area of potential severe weather forming along this dryline starting Wednesday and Thursday. This setup is expected to create instability across parts of the central U.S., particularly from Texas through Oklahoma and into Kansas.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 154503-1776807916283.png">The risk for Wednesday will be a marginal threat. There is a window of a few hours during which storms will be possible. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk of severe weather on Thursday. The forecast suggests that these storms will fire up around 6 p.m. and extend into the evening. The greatest threats on Thursday will include very large hail and powerful wind gusts, but tornado development is also a concern, especially in areas where storms can remain isolated and intensify. The timing of these storms could stretch from late week into the weekend, with multiple rounds possible as the system slowly moves across the region.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04-22 WIDE CENTRAL-1776877268157.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Within that risk, there is a highlighted threat for a few tornadoes. The hatched area has the potential for stronger tornadoes, an EF2 in strength or stronger.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 075514-1776866118738.png">Heavy rainfall may also accompany these storms, raising the risk of localized flooding in some areas already dealing with saturated ground. Residents across the Plains are being urged to stay weather-aware and have multiple ways to receive warnings, as conditions can change quickly during severe weather outbreaks.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 110121-1776877291557.png"> Tune into WeatherNation for more details.

Alana Cameron

Severe Storm Threat Reloads Across Plains with Hail, Wind, and Tornado Risk

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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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Already looking ahead to the end of the week and into the weekend, there are multiple areas of low pressure that will keep severe storms in the forecast. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined areas of the Plains to the South for severe weather. Friday and Saturday is focused on Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Friday is already under a slight risk.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 075857-1776866343617.png">A 30% chance for severe weather is already highlighted across portions of Oklahoma and Kansas for Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 075925-1776866372746.png">Sunday and Monday will remain active with the Storm Prediction Center keeping outlooks through the weekend and into early next week. By Monday, the threat shifts farther east into Tennessee and Alabama. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 080015-1776866449143.png">The next 7 days ahead has the risk for areas of heavy rainfall.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 045612-1776855390629.png">

Looking Ahead: Late-Week & Weekend Severe Weather Threats

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<h1>SOUTHEAST</h1>Over 97% of the Southeast is in moderate to exceptional drought. These dry conditions have been one of many factors increasing the fire threat across the southeast. This is the driest this area has been since the year 2000.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 160005-1776808816286.png">Over the next few days, we can see gusty conditions combined with the drought, which will aid any fires that start rapidly! An ELEVATED to CRITICAL risk for fire danger remains in place across Florida through tonight. If you are in a local burn ban, please use caution and obey!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155524-1776808530231.png">The Railroad fire is a current fire we are tracking across Clay County, FL.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 104423-1776789878347.png"><h1>CENTRAL PLAINS</h1>An ELEVATED to CRITICAL risk for fire danger is in effect for the Plains Wednesday. These areas are dealing with incredibly dry conditions, increasing drought, gusty conditions, and warmer-than-normal temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155702-1776808628998.png">Cities like Denver, CO, and Albuquerque, NM will have humidity levels down to just 3% on Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 155744-1776808697454.png">More details can be found live on WeatherNation throughout the hour.

Patrick Crawford

Extreme Drought Leads To Fire Concerns Across The Nation

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CALIFORNIA - The rain across California will continue through Wednesday. There is still another foot of snow expected across the Sierra Nevada Mountains before conditions dwindle. This is good news as drought has returned to the state following the historic heatwave in March. As the low moves eastward midweek, more moisture should increase across the Rocky Mountain states.Winter Storm Warnings remain in place for portions of the Sierra Nevada through Wednesday. Generally, 12-18 inches above 5000 feet will be likely, but up to 2 feet along the highest mountain peaks is likely. Down at the lake level, 2" of snow is possible. In addition to the Sierra Alerts, winter weather advisories were issued in Northern California near Mount Shasta for 5-10 inches of snow and winds to 45 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 044733-1776854869113.png">We've picked up a good amount of rainfall already from this system. The precipitation values definitely are winding down as we go through Wednesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-22 044859-1776854953894.png"> More on this forecast can always be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

Adrian Hernandez

Rain & Snow for the West Coast

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Originally born in Spokane, Washington,  Jackie's Dad was in the Air Force which led her to a life of travel. She has lived in Wichita, Okinawa, Japan, Baltimore, New Jersey, Indiana and South Carolina.  After graduating from Kadena High School, in Okinawa Japan, she got a full basketball scholarship to Coppin State College. On the court she was a 4-year starter and reached over 1000 points in her basketball career. She was also named Athlete of the Year for the whole university in 2002. Off the court, she earned a degree in Broadcast Production/English.

After college, she landed a job as a radio personality. Jackie went on to have a successful career for 12 years working at KXLY broadcast center. While on the radio, she decided to change career. Jackie went back to school, graduating from the Mississippi State Meteorology Broadcast Program. From snow, to tornadoes, to hurricanes, she has had experience forecasting all these events.

Jackie Brown

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<h1>WHAT TO EXPECT</h1>A blast of cold air has brought freeze warnings across portions of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and East. Temperatures will drop sub-freezing for Tuesday morning. These temps can impact crops and sensitive vegetation with the potential to damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033536-1776764192555.png">Lows will be cold overnight! Tuesday morning starts out with temperatures in the 20s and 30s for some.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033649-1776764227460.png">There is even the potential for record lows to break on Tuesday morning with sub-freezing temperatures. The dots on the map are cities that could tie or break record lows.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033730-1776764265718.png">Some of these temperatures include the 20s for cities like Syracuse, NY which may break a record Tuesday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033759-1776764294595.png">The cold snap won't last long, as by Wednesday temperatures will rebound back to above average.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033843-1776764338209.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-21 033911-1776764364505.png">

Cold Blast Prompts Frost and Freeze Alerts

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Tracey Anthony

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Flooding turned serious over the last week across Michigan and Wisconsin. Heavy rain &amp; severe storms arrived on top of spring snowmelt. <div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2045208169664913798" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2045208169664913798"></div>A big part of this flood set up traces back to the Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where a very snowy winter left a large amount of water locked in the snowpack. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Web_1-1776694765560.png">At the same time, Milwaukee set a new April precipitation record by April 16, surpassing the old record of 7.38 inches from 2013. &nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Web_4-1776695176771.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2044823132792365142" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2044823132792365142"></div>The flood threat is not over yet. The National Weather Service in Marquette said Monday that the threat for river flooding will continue across north-central and eastern Upper Michigan as temperatures warm into the 40s, and its latest flood briefing said minor to moderate flooding is expected over the next seven days, with major flooding possible along parts of the Sturgeon and Muskegon Rivers. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Web_7-1776695604663.png">For more on your central regional forecast, tune into WeatherNation :30 past the hour.

Kevin Schneider

Record Snow, Record Rain, Rising Rivers

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Tornadoes, hail, wind, and rain slammed the Midwest and Great Plains on Friday as a powerful storm system moved into the region. The same storm system was producing snow in Colorado while tornado warnings were being issued hundreds of miles to the east. Unfortunately, tornadoes hit some residential areas causing damage to homes in several states and injuring at least one person in Iowa. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported thus far. We'll post summaries of the tornadoes, including their ratings, as that information comes in over the next few days. Head to the bottom of the page for radar loops from Friday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-20 103932-1776703184677.png"> <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051753-1776512252193.png">Over one hundred tornado warnings were issued with 25 reports of tornadoes either being spotted or causing damage.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051244-1776512264052.png">Many more severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings were issued on Friday, with many warnings confirmed by reports (below).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051758-1776512271813.png">Hail topped 3 inches in diameter (bigger than baseballs) in both the Midwest and Plains on Friday, with many significant hail reports (over 2 inches).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051925-1776512279734.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051918-1776514705456.png">Hurricane force wind gusts also verified on Friday, with at least 5 reported over hurricane strength in the Midwest. Squall lines formed late in the day to produce large bowing segments.<h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-18 051932-1776512279733.png">Radar Review</h1>Radar imagery from Friday was impressive, with many discrete supercells forming before the storms became more linear late in the evening. Many warnings were issued for storms, including confirmed tornado warnings (pink instead of red).<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-18 03-04-23-1776516944009.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-18 03-12-44-1776516960303.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-18 03-13-20-1776516972432.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Looking Back at Last Week's Severe Weather Outbreak

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The large Tiger Island Fire broke out SW of Fort Johnson (Polk), LA growing to 30k acres and prompting evacuations that remain in effect as of Friday. The fire was named for the hunting club it started near on Tuesday, but the cause is under investigation. Containment has dropped back to 50% after red flag conditions helped to spread the fire on Thursday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/08/Screenshot 2023-08-25 212252-1693020177305.jpg">Part of the contributing factor to the fire danger is the prolonged period of hot and dry weather we've had. Despite dew points in the 70s, the lack of rain has allowed grasses, trees, and shrubs to become extremely "flashy" and burn quickly.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/08/drought-1692993358932.jpg">Please avoid burning as winds will spread any flames through dry brush. Additional fires have been noted in Vernon Parish also in the SW part of the state.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2023/08/VO_082423_RSC_VERNON PARISH, LA_INTENSE VIEW OF WILDFIRE SPREADING ONTO JD MITCHAM ROAD_FB_VERNON PARISH SHERIFFS OFFICE_JK_E082423-1692984236474.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Stay with WeatherNation for the latest on the hot temps &amp; summer that never seems to end!