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 hottest temperatures of the year are looming mid to late this week. An area of high pressure will cause the temperatures to rise underneath. Intense heat will build across the Midwest and Northeast this week as the ridge moves east. There is an Extreme Heat Risk labeled for many on Thursday as the heat intensifies (above). A few records fell on Wednesday but more are likely Thursday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782955470777.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 062125-1782994904536.png">Over 200 million people are under heat alerts this week. Not only will the air temperatures be scorching hot, breaking records, but the humidity will add to the dangers of heat illness. Dew points are expected to be in the 70s, meaning your body will have more difficulty cooling off.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-02 062407-1782995054880.png">We spoke with the National Weather Service in Philadelphia/Mt. Holly to get some perspective on just how unusual this heat is for the northeast.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PlvJoWIawEw" start="0"></iframe></div>There are 60+ possible record highs that could be broken on Thursday. This does not include record overnight lows, of which there are many likely to be broken as well.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 083358-1782916444329.png">The heat builds more out east by Thursday. This will be where the majority of our records will fall, across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782955521728.png">Heat waves become deadly when they are extended in duration, and complicated by overnight lows struggling to cool off enough. Be sure to mix in plenty of water, even with a holiday weekend coming up. Know the signs to look out for in friends and family.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot 2026-06-27 043943-1782556806519.png">

Rob Bradley

Dangerous Stretch of Heat Continues Into the Holiday Weekend

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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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On Wednesday, strong storms developed across the Upper Midwest, bringing damaging winds and hail. Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, saw a hailstone of 3.25" Wednesday. That is slightly larger than a baseball. Into the overnight hours, all threats will be possible as a low-pressure system moves through. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/large haills-1782954970431.png"><h1>OVERNIGHT</h1> Overnight, the Storm Prediction Center keeps an enhanced risk of severe storms around the Plains, Wisconsin and Michigan. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/ovvvddd-1782954874379.png"><h1>TIMING:</h1>It is going to be active over the next few days as multiple lows swing through. Rounds of rain and storms with the threat of severe weather in anything that develops.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/jskfddd-1782951708833.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The threat of severe weather continues through Thursday. A Marginal to Slight risk is in effect from the Dakotas through Michigan. Significant storms will also be likely. Watch for updates in the forecast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 131330-1782933217896.png">Additional storms remain in the forecast through Friday. It remains an active week ahead for strong and severe storms across the Plains through the Upper Midwest.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 131403-1782933251013.png">For more on the forecast and timing, tune in to WeatherNation!

Severe Storms Keep Northern U.S. Active

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Severe storms will be possible as we head towards the holiday weekend across the Northeast ahead of an incoming heatwave that will send 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 New York and New England.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782955095262.png">A few storms continue late night along the frontal boundary, but most die out with daytime heating. Any of these storms do have that potential of forming those hailstones and gusty winds. Some more rain does return to the forecast come Friday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/northeasttt333-1782951891010.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 on Friday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782955277075.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.

Jesse Kelley

Storms Spark up in the Northeast Ahead of Heatwave

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Dave Holder

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While upper-level ridging dominates the weather pattern across the eastern half of the country, thunderstorm development has remained possible along the southern periphery.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782954719960.png">Tonight, the thunderstorm chances should begin to diminish. Thursday, more scattered thunderstorm chances are in the forecast with a few storms capable of producing damaging winds and hail. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/jfjfjfsss-1782951532823.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>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.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 163421-1782946148631.png">The greatest threat of severe thunderstorms on Thursday will be from the Atlanta metro north into the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/1-1782954937143.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.

Tracey Anthony

Muggy and Stormy in the South

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The Aspen Acres fire burning in Southern Colorado, near Pueblo, is over 28,000 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/2026/07/1-1782933780957.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2071685133040816622" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2071685133040816622"></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 continue through Wednesday and Thursday. As opposed to yesterday, the threat of dry thunderstorms is no longer. However, it's still important to avoid all activities that could spark a flame.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 044142-1782902600638.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot 2026-07-01 044150-1782902600638.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.

Massive Fires Burn in the Four Corners

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Kevin Schneider

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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">

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

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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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

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Intense rainfall late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning proved fatal in southeastern Kansas. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, two men were killed as their vehicle was swept off the road by rising flood waters. The identities of the father and son were released as Dennis Clark Catron Sr. (72) and Dennis Clark Catron Jr. (39) of rural Elk City.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2150446061866414&id=1424207464490281

Reports of seven to nine inches of rainfall came in across the Independence, Kansas area. Local authorities responded to multiple stranded motorists, in some cases going door to door to warn residents of high water.

https://twitter.com/NWSWichita/status/1029741075303460864

Reports of a tornado also came into Elk City just after 5:30 pm CDT. Here's a look at just a handful of the local storm reports coming into the NWS Wichita office from the event:

<img class="alignnone wp-image-95520 size-full" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/08/LSR.png" alt="Kansas Flooding Responsible for Two Deaths" width="518" height="841" />

Some of the storms yesterday even turned tornadic. A possible tornado touchdown was seen near Elk City, KS

https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1029869146979201024

For <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/">WeatherNation</a>, Meteorologist <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/karissa-klos-2/">Karissa Klos</a>.