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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Here comes the warmth again across the West! A ridge of high pressure and downsloping winds will be key factors to help bring warm air across the Northwest and Southwest this week. Records can be seen all across the Northwest through Thursday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 105018-1768240241508.png">Temperatures on Tuesday will range from 20°- 30° above average! Downslope warming will help cities like Billings and Missoula potentially break multiple records this week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Billings, Montana, will be in the low 60s! This is almost 30 degrees above average! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 173230-1768264359859.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 173219-1768264366227.png">The southwest will be above average as well. Most cities will be around 10-15 degrees above average. On Wednesday, Los Angeles will reach a high of 84°, almost 20° above the normal! The warmth will stick around for most of the week across the southwest.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 173259-1768264385201.png">There remains high confidence that temperatures will remain above average across the west from January 18 - 22. The highest confidence is across California and Nevada.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 173319-1768264405294.png">For more information on your Western Regional forecast, tune into WeatherNation at :50 past the hour.

Alana Cameron

Record Warmth in Store For the West

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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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A trough of low pressure will dive south, with multiple waves of precipitation over the next few days. Areas from the Great Lakes down to the south will have the potential for rain, ice, and snow.<h1>TIMING</h1>Tuesday morning, a low-pressure system will move in from Canada. At the surface, an Arctic front will work its way south. As it dives south, we can see lake effect snow around the Great Lakes, and as it continues south, rain and snow through Thursday. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/WIDEVIEW OW-1768249109049.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>FORECAST TOTALS:</h1>Snow totals will be around 1-3 inches, with localized heavier amounts where heavy bands of snow set up. Portions of Michigan and Northern Illinois have the potential to see localized foot of snow through Thursday night. Across the south, snowfall totals are on the lighter ends, with the heaviest of it in the higher elevations.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/SNOW-1768249225863.png">Rainfall totals will be on the lighter side with around a quarter of an inch or less through Thursday night.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/RAINNN-1768249233456.png">Tune into WeatherNation :10 past the hour for the latest updates on this forecast.

Snow and Rain  From the Great Lakes to the South

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A deep trough of low pressure will help Arctic air sink south, bringing on below-average temperatures across the south. The week starts with most near average, but by Thursday, cold air spreads into the south, and temperatures will dip into the 30s and 40s.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/fore cast high temps-1768250163546.png"><h1>Wind Chills</h1>Not only will the air temperatures be cold, but gusty winds will aid in forecast wind chills in the single digits and teens. Nashville will feel like 9° on Thursday morning, and Atlanta will have a "feels-like" temperature of just 11°! It will be a cold morning commute, so make sure to layer up! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/forecast wind chill ffff-1768250411283.png">As we look at the 7-day forecasts for Birmingham and Nashville, you can see temperatures near normal on Tuesday, but by Thursday plummet to the 30s. On Friday, we see temperatures rebound to the 40s.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/birmingham coold own-1768250604430.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/nasvhille coold won-1768250604427.png">For your eastern regional forecast tune into WeatherNation :10 past the hour.

Artic Air Blasts The South This Week

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Kevin Schneider

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Most of the lower 48 has been missing out on a lot of Winter. Areas along the West Coast and Great Lakes have had an active Winter, but other than them, many along or east of the Rockies have been quiet so far. Not Alaska.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 100656-1767805655200.png">Heavy snowfall towards the end of 2025 was enough to sink boats around Juneau. By the end of the month, the airport in Juneau had measured more snow than any December prior, and it wasn't even close! Over 80 inches of snow fell throughout the month, with multiple daily records sprinkled in.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 100846-1767805743282.png">We spoke with the National Weather Service office in Juneau, Alaska to learn more about this historic snowfall.UPDATE: January 11th, 2026<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3FsdYGphtqE" start="0"></iframe></div><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zhaLChRQkac" start="0"></iframe></div>Since 2026 has rolled around, it has only kept snowing. Areas from Anchorage to Haines have picked up close to 20 more inches of snow has fallen. Not to mention it's been coming in with limited visibility with some blizzard conditions. Another system moving in threatens to bring warmer temperatures along with additional precipitation.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 101334-1767806446476.png">Residents have been asked to clear any clogged storm drain nearby, with officials giving the okay to dump "clean" snow into nearby bodies of water. The weight of the snow has caved in roofs in addition to sinking boats in local harbors.<h1>WHY ARE WARM TEMPERATURES BAD</h1>You would think a nice thawing out would help ease problems in Alaska but it could actually cause more harm. If temperatures warm enough to end the week, rain falling on top of snow will help rapidly melt the pack. Then, everything is running off, not just the rain. This could lead to significant flooding in the area.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 073534-1768228678077.jpg"><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-12 07-37-04-1768228685920.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Record Snowfall Sinking Boats in Alaska

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The Northeastern U.S. has been one of the more active regions of the country so far this winter in terms of ice and snow, with plenty piling up around the Great Lakes and into New England. A warmer system brought rain and gusty winds to the Northeast on Friday, but another wet and colder system keeps some snow around through tonight. Winter Weather Alerts (above) have been issued for parts of New England. <h1>Looking Ahead This Week</h1>Another wave of rain, snow, and cool air will keep the Northeast active this week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-11 154414-1768171512872.png">Moisture will start out over the Great Lakes and move into the Northeast. Areas across the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley will also see some rain and snow out of this next wave midweek.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/0111-1768171578207.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Accumulations will not be impactful, but this is still something to be on the lookout<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-11 200410-1768187056067.png"> for this week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-11 154722-1768171648552.png"> Longer-range, the precipitation outlook for the Northeast has a drier than normal pattern.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-11 154814-1768171724103.png">Get the latest in the Northeast in the East Regional Forecast anytime with the WeatherNation app - or tune in live at :10 past the hour!

Snow Squalls In The Northeast

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Brittany Lockley

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It has been one year since the Palisades and Eaton fires burned through local communities in Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025. The lasting impacts are still being felt across the region, both on the ground and in the atmosphere. The fires took 31 lives and burned down 18,000 buildings and homes.&nbsp;The fires ignited during a period of extreme fire weather, fueled by prolonged drought, critically low humidity, and strong offshore winds. The Palisades&nbsp;fire initially started with an open flame in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Firefighters were able to contain&nbsp;the flames above ground, but the fire continued to burn underground. At the time of ignition, relative humidity values dropped into the single digits, while wind gusts frequently exceeded 40 to 60 mph, creating ideal conditions for the rapid spread of the fire. The National Weather Service even issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation for these fires. These factors allowed flames to move miles in just hours, overwhelming containment efforts during the initial stages. The Palisades fire grew to 23,707 acres.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 041825-1767784832298.png">The Eaton Fire ignited in Altadena shortly after the Palisades Fire. In this fire, close to 10,000 homes were destroyed and 19 lives were lost, as the fire ravaged 14,021 acres by the time of its containment on January 31, 2024.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-07 04-18-40-1767784809714.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall deficits leading up to the fires played a major role in their intensity. Many areas had received less than 50 percent of their average precipitation over the previous 6 to 12 months, resulting in exceptionally dry vegetation. Live fuel moisture levels were near record lows for late season, and energy release components, an index used to measure potential fire intensity, were well above climatological averages. &nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 040748-1767784265056.png">Once the fires were established, towering smoke plumes injected particulates high into the atmosphere, degrading air quality across hundreds of miles and prompting repeated air quality alerts as fine particulate concentrations surged well above health-based thresholds.&nbsp;<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2025-12_2025-01-09_g18_abi_meso_geocolor-fires-1767898580832.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>In the aftermath, the weather continued to complicate recovery. The first significant rain events following the fires produced short bursts of heavy rainfall, falling on soils unable to absorb water efficiently. Rainfall rates of just a half inch per hour were enough to trigger runoff, mudslides, and debris flows within burn scars. Damaging roads and infrastructure months after the flames were extinguished. Emergency managers were forced to pivot from wildfire response to managing the floods, highlighting the compound risks associated with extreme weather.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 091018-1767802242571.png">A year later, both fires are on California's most destructive fires list. Weather and climate data show early signs of ecological recovery, but also ongoing vulnerability. Native grasses and shrubs have begun to return, aided by winter&nbsp;rainfall.&nbsp;The Palisades and Eaton fires now serve as a stark example of how weather extremes, heat, wind, drought, and heavy rainfall are reshaping wildfire behavior. &nbsp;

Jesse Kelley

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

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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.

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<h1>Outlooks &amp; Timing</h1>Friday night and Saturday morning was active tracking severe weather and flash flooding. We do have some good news as the severe weather threat has ended! The National Weather Service crews will be out surveying a few areas where tornadoes did touchdown across the South. Check out some of the damage Saturday morning as strong winds moved through Central Alabama.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/VO_011026_RSE_DALLAS COUNTY, AL_2 OF 3 DOWNED TREES AFTER TORNADO SWEPT THOGH SAT AM_FB_MS_E011026-1768076721260.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening hours, the showers and few embedded storms will continue to work their way east towards the Atlantic coast. The forecast will be drier and windier for Sunday across the South. It is possible the remaining storms could produced an additional half an inch to an inch of rain. The Flood Watch across Alabama and Georgia will expire later this afternoon.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/New Baron Video 3-1768076980959.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/1-1768076918937.png">Catch updates during our top weather headlines (:00, :20, :40 past the hour) or get the latest regional update for the East and Central U.S. at :10 and :30 past the hour.

Severe Threat Has Ended in the South

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February is a little longer this year thanks to 2020 being a leap year, but how is that calculated? Hint: It's not every four years! Meteorologist Steve Glazier explains in the video below.

https://youtu.be/S_csshx2Xr8

Here are the basic guidelines for calculating a leap year:
<ul>
 	<li>Any year evenly divisible by 4, except if that year is also evenly divisible by 100, unless that year is also evenly divisible by 400</li>
</ul>
Confused? Be sure to watch the video above! Long story short, it does not take exactly 365 calendar days to make one orbit around our sun. It takes roughly 365.24 days and that extra time needs to be accounted for occasionally to make sure time is correct. That's why an extra day is added on to February every four years (mostly, according to the exceptions above). Enjoy the extra day this weekend!

Leap Year: Explained

Record Warmth in Store For the West

Here comes the warmth again across the West!

Snow and Rain From the Great Lakes to the South

A trough of low pressure will dive south, wit

Artic Air Blasts The South This Week

A deep trough of low pressure will help Arcti

Record Snowfall Sinking Boats in Alaska

Most of the lower 48 has been missing out on

Snow Squalls In The Northeast

The Northeastern U.S. has been one of the mor

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

It has been one year since the Palisades and

Severe Threat Has Ended in the South

Outlooks & TimingFriday night and Saturda

Leap Year: Explained

Record Warmth in Store For the West

Here comes the warmth again across the West!

Snow and Rain From the Great Lakes to the South

A trough of low pressure will dive south, wit

Artic Air Blasts The South This Week

A deep trough of low pressure will help Arcti

Record Snowfall Sinking Boats in Alaska

Most of the lower 48 has been missing out on

Snow Squalls In The Northeast

The Northeastern U.S. has been one of the mor

One Year Later: Palisades and Eaton Fires

It has been one year since the Palisades and

Severe Threat Has Ended in the South

Outlooks &amp; TimingFriday night and Saturda

Outlooks & TimingFriday night and Saturda