Adrian Hernandez

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It's been unbearably warm across the west for a good minute now. This is mainly due to a ridge of high pressure, which causes the air to sink and heat up. Pair this with a frontal boundary, and now you have gusty, dry, and warm winds east of the Rockies, ripe conditions for fire danger. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 185145-1774486345196.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 081803-1774448301637.png">Widespread Red Flag Warnings have been issued for much of the central portion of the country, from Montana south into New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle! The majority of the alerts will continue through Thursday afternoon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 185212-1774486353192.png">Further updates on the more recent 24 Fire have shown increasing containment. However, another more recent fire broke out south of Albuquerque, the Unified Fire.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 130832-1774465756662.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 081235-1774447996816.png">Keep it locked in on WeatherNation, as we continue to update you on these fires and their impacts!

Alana Cameron

Fire Danger Plagues an Already Blistering West

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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!

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ABOVE - The month of March has been setting record after record, with nearly 100 locations nationwide breaking all-time March records. Each red dot above denotes a city that has tied or broken its all-time March record.This heatwave will continue to impact the southwestern U.S., but through Thursday, the potential for record-breaking temperatures will expand into more of the central U.S. Dozens of records fell Wednesday afternoon, including in Denver, which broke another all-time March record by reaching the upper 80s.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 183018-1774485047787.png">Afternoon highs in several locations are continuing into the 100s, shattering daily temperature records and creating a dramatic contrast to the colder conditions that typically dominate early March. In some areas, temperatures are running 20 to 40 degrees above seasonal averages.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 183147-1774485116577.png"><h2>Central U.S.</h2>Thursday looks to be another hot day across the country, with nearly 70 sites that could break records. In cities like Kansas City, temperatures are expected to run around 30 degrees above average.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 182725-1774485265417.png">Late Thursday, a cold front will swing through, bringing some areas a significant temperature drop on Friday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 182729-1774485311300.png">The Climate Prediction Center has high confidence that temperatures will remain above normal through the end of March.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-24 174847-1774396132757.png">

More Records Obliterated - Heat Soars into Central U.S.

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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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It's the season of swings! Baseball counts but that's not what we're talking about right now. Temperature swings! Temperatures will climb this week ahead of our approaching front, soaring into the 70's and 80's through Thursday. The front is going to drop through the Midwest, igniting another round of severe chances. As the front moves into warmer temperatures, more energy and instability will build ahead and along the front.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 182414-1774484667461.png">That should provide enough fuel for storms by the end of the week. Right now, the Storm Prediction Center is highlighting areas in the mid-Mississippi River and Ohio River Valleys with the highest chance on Thursday. The current outlook has been upgraded to an ENHANCED risk, level 3 out of 5.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 182238-1774484672382.png">There are a couple significant threats with these storms to watch out for. One of those is the significant tornado threat. Meaning, if there is a tornado, there is the potential for it to be a stronger tornado. Right now, the outlook has the threat of an EF2 or stronger possible in the red highlighted areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 123817-1774463903446.png">Another significant threat is for hail. Cities like Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis have the threat of 2"+ hailstones. Severe hail potential begins at 1".<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 123839-1774463931891.png">The heaviest of the rainfall will span across Indiana and Ohio. There is an isolated threat for flooding to watch for.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-25 182440-1774484693322.png">Some rain will likely be ongoing Thursday morning. Watch as they drop south into better ingredients by the afternoon<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/03-25_rnc bams 128z-1774484700646.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Sharp Front Sparks More Severe Chances Late 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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Top Image Credit: National Parks Service<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8V6xqwukzO0" start="0"></iframe></div>Spring is fast approaching, and so are the blooms of flowers all across North America. This includes the famous cherry tree bloom around the National Mall in Washington, D.C.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-06 080027-1772810872599.png">On Thursday, March 5th, the National Park Service announced its projected peak cherry blossom date for 2026. The peak is expected around late March into early April (between the 31st and 2nd). Still, the forecast for the peak is generally difficult to make beyond ten days, as blossoms will be impacted by weather conditions. Check back in for updates!<h2>What is "peak bloom"?</h2>The peak bloom date is defined as the day when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, one of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/types-of-trees.htm">many types of cherry trees</a> in the area. Peak bloom usually lasts for several days, with the blooms taking <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/bloom-watch.htm">about two to three weeks to reach peak</a> after the appearance of green buds. As buds begin to appear, the forecast peak date will be updated by National Park Service horticulturists.<h2>Past Blooms</h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-06 080035-1772811048593.png"> Due to variable weather conditions, peak bloom has occurred as early as March 15th (1990) and as late as April 18th (1958).Visiting the blossoming cherry trees has become a favorite springtime tradition for Americans and tourists alike, dating back to 1912 when Japan gifted the U.S. about 3,000 cherry trees. The cherry trees in Japan have been putting on a show for thousands of years, with the dates of blooms being <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/date-of-the-peak-cherry-tree-blossom-in-kyoto">recorded all the way back to the 9th century</a>. The dates for this year's peak blooms in Japan are expected from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/">late March through late April</a> from north to south across the nation.

Cherry Blossoms Expected to Peak in a Week

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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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Heavy rainfall from moisture that inundated the Hawaiian Islands late last week is on the move. It's being funneled around an area of high pressure, taking aim at the Pacific Northwest. Thankfully, it won't be nearly as heavy or intense as what Hawaii faced.Related: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/flash-flood-emergency-for-oahu-additional-rain-expected-for-hawaii">Kona Low Recap</a>This round looks like it will be a little different than the previous round, which brought only rain to the area. Snow levels with this system will drop a bit, bringing a shot at some wintry impacts to the mountain passes.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-24 033707-1774345071882.png">An active Jetstream will bring more energy into the region on Tuesday. That's when you can expect the most widespread rain, with only scattered coverage from Wednesday onward.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-24 03-38-07-1774345113637.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>There will be winds with this latest batch, with some of the mountain peaks expecting the worst of them. Sporadic power outages will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-24 033943-1774345194700.png">Make sure you're staying tuned to WeatherNation for your northwest forecast at :50 past the hour!

Pineapple Express Delivers Another Round of Rain

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Kevin Schneider

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After record shattering rain and hurricane force winds last weekend, Hawaii is already dealing with another strong low pressure system moving in from the west, known locally as a Kona Low.<h2>FRIDAY</h2>Catastrophic flash flooding unfolded overnight Thursday into Friday morning on the northern side of O'ahu, after 5-9 inches of rain fell from slow moving thunderstorms. As a result, a dam failure was possible but officials say that the dam is in good condition so far. More heavy rain is possible to change the status. Evacuation orders have been issued for Haleiwa and Waialua as intense flooding cut off roads and inundated low lying areas. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-23 042733-1774261661310.png">The heavy rain was created by an approaching Kona Low, which will keep the weather pattern rainy through the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-22 112518-1774200333277.png">The low is shifting east into this week, leading to sunnier conditions and a much-needed break from the rain.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-22 11-27-05-1774200450759.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall totals could easily surpass 1-4 inches where thunderstorms train, or move over the same locations multiple times. Flooding will happen fast as the grounds are very saturated from the previous storms.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-22 044159-1774176130318.png"><h1>Previous System Record Rain &amp; Wind</h1>Rainfall totals from the previous system are almost unfathomable. Each island had at least one weather station record over 20 inches of rain with hurricane-force winds recorded as well. These intense conditions left the islands more prone for impacts from following storms.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-20 110451-1774026907445.png">

Powerful Kona Low Devastates Hawaii Over the Weekend

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A series of systems moving across the Northern half of the nation will spark a sharp contrast with the record heat building in the south / southeast over the weekend. As cold fronts move from the Midwest into the East, several rounds of severe storms are possible. The current threat is likely to have the most widespread impacts with wind and hail remaining possible.<h1>Through Monday</h1>The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley region with a SLIGHT Risk of severe storms through the overnight hours.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-22 200457-1774231654561.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-22 200517-1774231710312.png">On Monday as the front drops south into the Carolinas, a few isolated severe storms are possible in the afternoon.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/03-22_Rse bams3k-1774231815701.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Get the latest forecast for the East anytime on the WeatherNaiton app, or by tuning in at :10 past the hour.

Severe Storm Potential Heads East from the Ohio Valley to the Southeast

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Latest information from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory shows that their is 27.4 percent ice coverage across the Great Lakes.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-88621" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/03/glsea_cur.png" alt="" width="681" height="532" />

&nbsp;

The lakes with the most ice include Lake Ontario and Lake Huron, with 50 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

For WeatherNation, I am <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MarcusDWalter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meteorologist Marcus Walter</a>.

Ice Coverage Across the Great Lakes

Fire Danger Plagues an Already Blistering West

It's been unbearably warm across the west for

More Records Obliterated - Heat Soars into Central U.S.

ABOVE - The month of March has been setting r

Sharp Front Sparks More Severe Chances Late Week

It's the season of swings! Baseball counts bu

Cherry Blossoms Expected to Peak in a Week

Top Image Credit: National Parks ServiceSprin

Pineapple Express Delivers Another Round of Rain

Heavy rainfall from moisture that inundated t

Powerful Kona Low Devastates Hawaii Over the Weekend

After record shattering rain and hurricane fo

Severe Storm Potential Heads East from the Ohio Valley to the Southeast

A series of systems moving across the Norther