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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The weather pattern remains favorable for heavy rain in the southern plains through Thursday. The area is still recovering from the heavy rain last weekend. Parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas have seen 24 hour rainfall totals up to 8"!Oklahoma City was under a Flash Flood Warning Tuesday AM with reports of creeks overflowing and basements flooding. The National Weather Service has issued a FLOOD WATCH into Thursday morning across portions of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (above).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 084211-1746024137713.png">Models have begun to align on the location of where this stationary boundary stalls out mid-week. Heavy rain will likely be the result of strong/severe storms. An additional 2-4" of rainfall will be possible through Friday evening.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 084048-1746024053667.png">A moderate risk means numerous flash flooding events with significant impacts are possible. Many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers. The Dallas, TX metro will be under the moderate risk throughout Wednesday. Remember the phrase, "turn around, don't drown." Driving through flooded waters is extremely dangerous. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 084102-1746024067679.png">Many areas have already seen significant rainfall. These locations will be more susceptible to flooding. Please listen to any flash flood warning that is issued for your area and seek higher ground immediately. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 044641-1746010008579.png">So far, April has been extremely wet for the mid-Mississippi Valley, and cities such as Memphis are already at their 2nd wettest April on record, with more rain chances in the next two days.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 044727-1746010056133.png">For more details, be sure to join us on WeatherNation!

Level 3 Flood Threat Issued for the Southern Plains

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A frontal boundary stretched across the half of the U.S. will continue to bring episodes of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain as it stalls out. The Central U.S. will get the brunt of the severe weather on Wednesday &amp; Thursday, before shifting into the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Great Lakes by Friday. &nbsp;A Tornado watch has been issued for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 085718-1746025047292.jpg">While the most intense storms from Wednesday morning are expected to diminish, another round of severe weather across the south-central U.S. by the afternoon is possible. The threat for damaging winds, large to very large hail, and tornadoes will remain in play.&nbsp;The Storm Prediction Center has issued an Enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) for the metro of Dallas, TX.&nbsp;There are also significant threats to watch out for. This will be in the form of 2"+ hail or an EF-2 or stronger tornado (above).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 083217-1746023540553.png">More generally, there is a 2-10% risk for tornadoes across Texas through Arkansas as well as southern Illinois and Indiana. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 083231-1746023563216.png">Wednesday morning, severe thunderstorm watches were in place to account for the strong storms moving across Oklahoma. Through the afternoon, storms will progress across OK, TX, and into AR. Additional storms will be possible through southern IL and IN.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/0430-1746023632894.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>By Thursday the storms will reach the Great Lakes and the Northeast. Scattered thunderstorms will reach as far north as New England. While the severe threat is expected to lessen compared to earlier in the week, some embedded strong storms may still occur, particularly in areas where instability persists. A Slight risk is issued for Friday (level 2 out of 5). The threats for Thursday include gusty winds, localized heavy rainfall, and a hail risk.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 043658-1746009428373.png">The combination of repeated rounds of thunderstorms, especially earlier in the week, has left soils saturated in portions of eastern Oklahoma, northeast Texas, and western Arkansas. Though the severe threat shifts east, residual flooding concerns may continue into Thursday in these areas before drying out.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 083918-1746023962295.png">For the latest information tune into WeatherNation.&nbsp;

Brittany Lockley

Severe Weather Threat Shifts Eastward Across Central U.S. to Great Lakes

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Tracey Anthony

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Louisville is gearing up for the 151st Kentucky Derby this Saturday at Churchill Downs, but weather conditions leading up to the big race could put a damper on some of the festivities.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 050024-1746010833872.png">Unsettled Weather Ahead of the Derby&nbsp;A series of popular events, including Winsday on Wednesday, Thurby on Thursday, and the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, are set to draw large crowds. However, showers and thunderstorms are expected to move through the area throughout the week, potentially impacting plans.&nbsp;<ul><li>Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible, especially in the afternoon.&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Thursday and Friday: Rain chances remain elevated, with Friday’s Kentucky Oaks race particularly at risk for wet weather disruptions.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-30 04-58-34-1746010848859.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video></li></ul>Derby Day Outlook: A Break in the Clouds&nbsp;Fortunately, the forecast improves as we head into Saturday. While some lingering showers may still be around in the morning, forecasters expect any rain to clear out by midday. This should allow time for the Churchill Downs track to begin drying out ahead of the Derby’s scheduled post time at 6:57 p.m. ET.&nbsp;Still, after a soggy week, conditions underfoot are unlikely to be ideal. Do not expect the fast track surface seen in recent years—this year could see slower, wetter conditions like 2019, when a "sloppy" track followed light rainfall, or even 2018, which saw more than 3 inches of rain on race day.&nbsp;Cooler Temperatures in the Mix&nbsp;Behind the departing rain, cooler air will settle in. Saturday's highs are expected to stay in the 60s, a touch below average for early May but comfortable for racegoers dressed for the occasion.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 045947-1746010804748.png">Heading to Churchill Downs this week? Pack an umbrella and prepare for changing conditions. While Derby Day looks mostly dry, the lead-up could be a wet one. Now the fun part, how will this weather affect the horses? From blazing sunshine to torrential rain, the conditions on Derby Day can significantly influence the race's outcome and the experience for horses, jockeys, trainers, and fans alike 🏇🏇 Precipitation: Track conditions are the most immediate and noticeable way weather affects the Derby. Rain can quickly turn the usually fast dirt track into a sloppy or muddy surface, altering the performance of certain horses and jockeys. Some horses, known as “mudders,” thrive in wet conditions, while others struggle. For instance, in the rain-soaked 2019 Derby, the muddy track played a role in a dramatic finish that included the controversial disqualification of Maximum Security. Handicappers and bettors pay close attention to forecasts, knowing that a change in weather could shift the odds significantly.🏇 Temperature is another critical factor. A warm &amp; humid race day can drain a horse's stamina, especially those not acclimated to the heat and humidity. Trainers often adjust their preparation and hydration strategies depending on the expected weather. Cooler temperatures, on the other hand, may benefit certain horses with more endurance and less speed.🏇 Wind also plays a subtle but real role in racing dynamics. A strong headwind down the backstretch can tire front-running horses earlier than expected, while a tailwind might benefit late closers. Though less obvious than mud or rain, wind direction and speed can change race strategies and even alter the pace of the race.In a race where every fraction of a second matters, weather isn’t just a background variable—it’s a potential game-changer. Whether the sun is shining or rain is pouring, the conditions on Derby Day can leave a lasting imprint!

Kevin Schneider

Rainy Forecast Could Disrupt Kentucky Derby Week Events

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Chris Tomer

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A deep trough of low pressure is sliding through the Rockies and onto the Plains, bringing unsettled weather to the region. Widespread rain and high-elevation snow will continue through Thursday.<h1>How Much Accumulation?</h1>The highest peaks of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado could see over 6 inches of accumulation by Thursday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 044943-1746010237489.png">Denver and the Front Range of Colorado has two shots of rain/snow coming. The first arrives Tuesday afternoon and the second Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Locations above 9,000ft could see several inches of snow accumulation. Expect rain across lower elevations.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-30 044955-1746010244761.png"><h1>Timing</h1><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-30 04-50-01-1746010261847.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Closing Dates</h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/tomer ski closing dates-1745778957875.jpg">Enjoy the slopes while you can! Stay with WeatherNation for the latest.

Another Shot of Snow in the Western Mountains

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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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Severe storms dominated portions of the southern plains, Midwest, and northeast today, and a severe threat remains in place overnight from Burlington, Vermont, down through San Angelo, Texas.<h1>SOUTHERN END</h1>Strong updrafts provided the support needed in the atmosphere to grow large hailstones. We saw large hail today in Texas. Hailstones reached 5 inches in Guthrie, Texas. To put that into perspective, that is the size of a DVD!! In Girard, Texas hailstones reached 4 inches, the size of a softball. Both of these sizes can cause major damage!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/texas haillff-1745975175422.png">A significant severe threat remains overnight for portions of Texas and Oklahoma. Wind gusts of 75+ mph are possible, and the large hail threat will continue.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/overnighttttd-1745976180451.png"><h1>NORTHERN END</h1>An isolated tornado risk remains in place overnight for cities like Cleveland, Syracuse, and Buffalo. Storms and this threat will taper off through the overnight hours in the Northeast, but anything that lingers will have the potential to be strong to severe.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/overnight tor risk-1745976238745.png"><h1>TIMING</h1>Thunderstorms continue ahead and along this cold front, producing all threats of severe weather, including tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds. While storms wind down tonight in the northeast, they will continue cranking in the southern Plains of Oklahoma overnight and into Wednesday morning.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/eeeewww-1745976383462.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Alana Cameron

Severe Storms Possible Overnight

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Fire weather concerns have been all too common in the northeast this month. The Jones Road Fire has burned over 15,000 acres but the containment has crept up to 75%<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1916917497808167300" src="https://x.com/njdepforestfire/status/1916917497808167300"></div>The winds will kick up again this afternoon, so any additional grass fire that ignites could spread quickly.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-29 124943-1745958299557.png">As dry as it is, we're only waiting on some wind to stir up fire concerns. Today, the winds will gust to 30 mph. Another soaking rain will go a long way in helping out. Rain that comes without severe chances would be niceRelated Article: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/severe-storms-possible-from-new-york-to-texas-today">Severe Storms Threaten the Northeast Today</a>But wait! There's moreAll of that unsettled weather in the southern plains will pull into the northeast later this week, so keep the rain jacket close by!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-29 073918-1745934007429.png">Thursday and Friday look to be the wettest from the Ohio River Valley to the New England states. While the severe threat appears pretty limited at this time, with a MARGINAL risk for severe storms on Thursday, the flooding threat will move in too.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-29 073934-1745934078262.png">While it might ruin some plans outside toward the end of the week, the Kentucky Derby is looking dry this weekend!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-29 07-39-48-1745934151361.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Rain This Week Douses Fire Concerns Today

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A strong area of low pressure has emerged from the Rockies, which has prompted a MODERATE (level 4 out of 5) risk overnight. EF-2+ intensity tornadoes and 2-inch diameter hail (or larger) are possible.CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Our field correspondent Erik Fox was in the Sand Hills of Nebraska, where a storm cycled for hours on Sunday night, producing the spotting of a tornado.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1916681281515184498" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1916681281515184498"></div><h1>Overnight - Hazards and Timing</h1>The Storm Prediction Center has issued a MODERATE (level 4 out of 5) risk for severe storms in portions of the Upper Midwest and Upper Mississippi Valley. Multiple corridors of severe thunderstorms remain possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-28 212044-1745896851475.png">Strong winds and massive hail remain possible, but the tornado threat will also be quite high for portions of the Upper-Midwest, thanks to increased wind shear near the upper-level low. This includes the potential for significant tornadoes in the Upper-Midwest, meaning we could see violent tornadoes that last for a long duration. These tornadoes should be taken very seriously, as they'll have the potential to produce winds over 110 mph (EF-2 or greater).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-28 212227-1745896953253.png">Storms have developed and will continue into the overnight hours.. Multiple corridors of severe thunderstorms are expected.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/bust-1745897203666.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Tuesday - Hazards and Timing</h1>Scattered severe storms will continue to move east on Tuesday along the front, with severe storms possible from Vermont to Texas! There are two areas of an ENHANCED risk (level 3 out of 5) on Tuesday. Portions of the northeast, including Pittsburgh, PA and western New York, as well as west Texas and into Texoma.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/1-1745863825014.png">There is still a bit of uncertainty on the forecast for Tuesday morning, pending how overnight convection from Monday behaves. The most likely scenario will be storms continuing along the same boundary throughout the day, and as the atmosphere becomes more unstable during peak heating, thunderstorms will become more dangerous.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/tuesvr-1745897459682.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>Flooding</h1>Heavy rain will accompany storms, with isolated flash flooding possible. Before storms hit, review your severe weather preparedness, including knowing where to go in case of a tornado or flood.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot 2025-04-28 213111-1745897482161.png">

Dave Holder

Dangerous Storms Moving Across the Upper Midwest Overnight

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Drought conditions, low humidity and strong winds will lead to a Critical Fire Risk for cities like El Paso, TX and Roswell, NM today and tonight.  Here is the very latest.
<h1>Drought Monitor</h1>
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Drought conditions continue to take shape across the 4 Corners Region.  This means theses areas under dry and moderate drought conditions could easily see a wildfire today.
<h1>Wind Forecast</h1>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-102675 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/01/7day-9.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

<img class="alignnone wp-image-102676 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/01/7day1-12.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

<img class="alignnone wp-image-102677 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/01/7day2-11.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

Areas being monitored for a critical fire risk could feel winds of 20-30 mph with gusts over 50 mph.  This means if a fire starts it will easily strengthen and spread with wind speeds this strong.
<h1>Wildfire  Prevention</h1>
Here are some helpful hints on how to prevent wildfires.  I would definitely avoid any outdoor activities that involve sparks or flames.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-102678 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/01/7day3-10.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" />

&nbsp;

Keep checking back with WeatherNation for more updates.

Increasing Wildfire Risk for West Texas and Southern New Mexico Today

Drought Monitor

Wind Forecast

Wildfire Prevention

Level 3 Flood Threat Issued for the Southern Plains

The weather pattern remains favorable for hea

Severe Weather Threat Shifts Eastward Across Central U.S. to Great Lakes

A frontal boundary stretched across the half

Rainy Forecast Could Disrupt Kentucky Derby Week Events

Louisville is gearing up for the 151st Kentuc

Another Shot of Snow in the Western Mountains

A deep trough of low pressure is sliding thro

Severe Storms Possible Overnight

Severe storms dominated portions of the south

Rain This Week Douses Fire Concerns Today

Fire weather concerns have been all too commo

Dangerous Storms Moving Across the Upper Midwest Overnight

A strong area of low pressure has emerged fro