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!

Alana Cameron

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A low-pressure system that moved over Texas brought more than 3 inches of rainfall to parts of the state on Sunday. This was much-needed rain for many drought-stricken areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 170414-1775430271651.png">This system is expected to move over the Gulf and track toward Florida as we head into the week, bringing showers and thunderstorms along with it.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04-05 south low-1775430308234.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>An upper-level low, combined with a trailing surface front, will lead to periods of heavy rain across the Sunshine State. Forecast models continue to show widespread showers and storms across Florida, especially during the afternoons throughout the week. The front is not expected to clear the region until Tuesday and rain will continue into Wednesday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04-05_Rse florida rain-1775434188327.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall totals may exceed 5-7 inches over the course of the week. As a result, an excessive rainfall outlook has been issued for parts of the Atlantic Coast, with a level 1 out of 4, MARGINAL risk, for flash flooding.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 180847-1775434198698.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 170524-1775430620389.png">This rain arrives at a critical time, as Florida’s drought conditions have worsened in the latest update. Much of the state is now experiencing extreme to exceptional drought (levels 4-5), which has already led to water restrictions.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 171122-1775430689163.png">So while this rain is much-needed for a drought-stricken state, it also raises concerns for flooding, making this a week of both relief and risk across Florida.

Florida: Rain Coming to Drought-Stricken State

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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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The drought conditions have started to increase into extreme and exceptional levels out west with the lack of moisture, especially across the northern four-corners. Any moisture to make it this way will be beneficial to the area.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 170244-1775430223227.png">There will be a few chances for general thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday across the four-corners. This will bring some moisture in the form of rainfall and some snow for the higher elevations.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 170249-1775430291324.png">Later in the week, a digging trough will keep the pattern active. This increases some of the chances out west to keep moisture in the forecast. By Thursday, forecast models are in agreeance that more rain will develop from California to the four-corners.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/04051-1775430333556.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>For now, the totals do not look high, but any and all moisture is welcome.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 181035-1775434244585.png">In the longer range forecasts, there is a confidence of higher than normal precipitation ahead from April 11-15.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-05 170728-1775430482073.png">More on your Western Regional Forecast can be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

West Pattern: Moisture Returns

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LIFTOFF - At 6:35 PM ET on April 1, 2026, NASA launched astronauts on an historic mission to the Moon. This marks the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years, dating back to the Apollo era.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2039477801787769177" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2039477801787769177"></div>NASA’s Space Launch System sent four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, aboard the Orion spacecraft on a test flight around the Moon and back. This 10-day mission will demonstrate life support systems and help lay the foundation for future deep space exploration.<h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-28 091928-1774711352235.png">What's Next for Artemis II?</h2><ul><li>Day 1: focused on launch and entering Earth orbit.</li><li>Days 2-4: outbound transit toward the Moon.</li><li>Days 5-6: Orion will fly by the Moon, entering its sphere of influence, where the Moon becomes the dominant gravitational force.</li><li>Days 7-10: return trip to Earth, followed by re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where the U.S. Navy will recover the capsule.</li></ul>We are currently in the lunar flyby stage. This is the point of the mission where Orion is moving into the moon's gravitational sphere of influence and away from Earth's gravitational pull. On Day 6, Artemis II will move to the far side of the moon and lose contact with Earth for 40 minutes.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 180532-1775088336863.png">After sling shotting around the moon, Orion will head back toward earth near the end of next week. Several burns will reposition the spacecraft before it re-enters Earth's atmosphere next Friday. It is expected to splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego. We will be monitoring the forecast in this area of the Pacific closely for any impacts. Check back for updates!<h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-02 073719-1775137047865.png"></h2><h2>What is the Future of the Artemis Program?</h2>In simple terms, Artemis is the first step in a broader effort to send humans to Mars. Before that, NASA aims to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a sustained presence while testing humanity’s ability to live and work beyond Earth’s orbit. Artemis II, specifically, will send astronauts around the Moon and back.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot 2026-03-28 091131a-1774710738504.jpg">This will be the first mission since 1972 to take humans beyond low Earth orbit, and potentially farther from Earth than any human has traveled before. NASA currently plans a series of Artemis missions, with Artemis IV expected to land astronauts on the Moon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-01 180027-1775088036041.png">Artemis II marks a major step forward in human space exploration, pushing us farther than we’ve gone in decades, and bringing us one step closer to returning to the Moon… and eventually, reaching Mars.

Artemis II Closing in on the Moon

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Kevin Schneider

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Several rounds of severe storms have tracked across the Central and Eastern half of the country over the past few days. On Friday, storms in the Central Plains were strong enough to produce hailstones bigger than golf balls! Crews are out to survey damage around Ohio as storms continued to press east on Saturday. The front is exiting the Atlantic coastline tonight. A marginal threat for a few strong storms with damaging winds remains in place.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/pic6-1775251677983.png">By late Sunday night, many areas will have cleared from the showers and the storms.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/0405-1775429929404.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Severe Storms Push East Easter Sunday

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Unseasonably warm air is taking over much of the eastern United States this holiday weekend, bringing a taste of summer well ahead of schedule. Temperatures are soaring 15 to 25 degrees above average from the Southeast through the Mid-Atlantic and into parts of the Northeast, with many cities climbing into the upper 80s. Record highs did fall on Saturday.This early-season heat is not just about warm afternoons, it is also setting the stage for active weather. As the atmosphere becomes more unstable, the risk for thunderstorms increases. Some of these storms could turn strong to severe, producing gusty winds and heavy downpours as the warm, humid air fuels their development.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 062651-1775305669351.jpg">But the summer-like stretch will not last long. A cold front is sweeping across the eastern half of the country, bringing rounds of rain and thunderstorms along the East Coast. Behind it, a much cooler air mass will move in, quickly knocking temperatures back down into the 40s and 50s this weekend before slowly creeping up next week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1775354976877.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/1-1775355006395.png">By the start of the new week, the same areas that experienced near-record warmth will feel a much different air mass. Highs across parts of the Northeast are expected to drop into the 50s, marking a sharp return to more typical early spring conditions. The rapid shift from warmth to chill is a classic example of springtime “weather whiplash,” where dramatic temperature swings can happen in just a matter of days.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 062717-1775305657001.jpg">

Cold Front Ends Record Heat

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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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On the northern side of the strong low creating severe weather chances, snow and ice continue across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Since Thursday, ice has accreted up to half an inch thick in parts of Wisconsin.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 051736-1775301472809.png">Thousands of residents are in the dark because of trees falling on power lines, though those numbers did improve through the day on Friday. Heavy snow began to fall and accumulate quickly on Friday, with totals by Saturday morning already surpassing a foot! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 051622-1775301480296.png">Winter alerts are out including Ice Storm Warnings for Northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan. Some areas could see ice totals up to a half inch. The new ice concerns are already over some of the same areas who may still be in the dark from Thursday's event. Heavy snow will continue on the back side for the Dakotas and northern Minnesota where winter storm warnings are in effect. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 050901-1775300950885.png">Freezing rain looks to persist in northern Michigan through the mid-to-late morning, possibly into the early afternoon. Heavy snow will gradually shift east behind the low, coming down heavily from the Dakotas through Northern Minnesota.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/FORECAST-1775318235906.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>An additional 4-8 inches of snow (image top of page) will be likely across the Dakotas and Minnesota. In addition, significant icing looks to be possible across Michigan. Travel will be tough this weekend so avoid travel if you can!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-04 051504-1775301371890.png">

Patrick Crawford

Snow and Ice Persist on Saturday in the Upper-Midwest

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WHAT TO EXPECT A severe weather threat is taking shape across the southern Plains this week as a stalled boundary, a sharpening dryline, and an upper-level disturbance come together over a record-breaking warm and increasingly humid central airmass.<h2>OUTLOOK</h2>An ENHANCED risk has been issued through the overnight hours. Damaging winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/fjfjfjss-1775063569605.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/wind s-1775063505900.png"><h2>TIMING</h2>Storms continue to fire along a dryline, producing gusty winds and large hail. These storms will continue to move to the east overnight, so have multiple ways to get alerts. Things will wind down midday Thursday. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/FORECASSSTTTTTTT-1775091363575.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Severe Threat Wednesday in the Plains

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From: WPEC, CBS12 News (West Palm Beach, FL)

Emergency crews in South Florida say one woman is dead and two others were injured after a lightning strike in Parkland, Florida. The woman killed has been identified as Maria Francisco Pascual, 53, of Lake Worth, FL.

The incident happened at the C.W. Hendrix Farms around 2 in the afternoon.

WeatherNation affiliate WPEC is <a href="http://cbs12.com/news/local/lightning-survivor-reacts-to-latest-lightning-strike-that-killed-woman">following this story</a>, and will continue to provide updates.

&nbsp;

Lightning deaths can happen any time of year, but are more common May through September.

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-91432" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/05/lightning-1-420x235.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="235" />

&nbsp;

Wednesday's fatal strike makes the 3rd U.S. lightning death this year, with another having occurred in Florida in April, and the 3rd in Texas in February, <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-fatalities">according to NOAA</a>.

Florida leads the U.S. in lightning related fatalities each year. From 1990-2003, there were 126 lightning deaths in Florida.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-91451" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2018/05/1990-2003Fatalities.gif" alt="" width="599" height="340" />

&nbsp;

Safety:

To read up on how to stay safe in lightning, the National Weather Service has several resources available so you can keep yourself and your family safe. <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning">Click here</a> to visit the Lightning Safety site from NWS.

Lightning Kills 1 Person in Florida

Florida: Rain Coming to Drought-Stricken State

A low-pressure system that moved over Texas b

West Pattern: Moisture Returns

The drought conditions have started to increa

Artemis II Closing in on the Moon

LIFTOFF - At 6:35 PM ET on April 1, 2026, NAS

Severe Storms Push East Easter Sunday

Several rounds of severe storms have tracked

Cold Front Ends Record Heat

Unseasonably warm air is taking over much of

Snow and Ice Persist on Saturday in the Upper-Midwest

On the northern side of the strong low creati

Severe Threat Wednesday in the Plains

WHAT TO EXPECT A severe weather threat is tak