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

RobBradleyjpeg-1679518597323.jpeg

NORTHWEST - A state of emergency was declared for Washington State on Wednesday following days of heavy rain that led to historic river flooding. Thankfully river levels have been dropping since Friday for many areas. Those rivers are expected to continue to recede through the weekend but additional rainfall could cause rivers to rise again next week.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1999008867167125943" src="https://x.com/GovBobFerguson/status/1999008867167125943"></div>The entire Skagit River Valley (in the 100-year flood plain) was given the "GO" order to evacuate early Thursday morning. The Skagit River in Mt Vernon crested at a new record high of 37.73 feet, but thankfully began to drop on Friday afternoon. The river is now in minor to moderate flood stage with levels expected to drop farther through Sunday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 055902-1765630752221.png"><h1>Additional Rain Next Week</h1>Another series of atmospheric rivers will take aim at the Northwest starting Sunday evening. Multiple rounds of heavy rain are expected but there will be a few differences compared to the last event. The bad news? River levels are already high and soils are saturated, so flooding will develop more quickly. The good news is the heavy rain is not expected to be as consistent as last week's event and snow levels will drop late Tuesday into Wednesday. That means as the late week moisture surge comes in, more precipitation will fall as snow and stick, leading to less runoff. Regardless, heavy rain and flooding are likely to present big issues, including the potential for flash flooding and rivers to surge again into major flood stage. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 062121-1765632627274.png">A brief round of moderate rainfall is expected late Saturday into Sunday, but the heavier precipitation arrives Monday into Tuesday, with additional rounds of heavy rain and snow late in the week. We won't have a lot of new snow until late Tuesday when temperatures begin to drop.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-13 06-27-41-1765632640379.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Additional rainfall is expected to top 5-8 inches for the highest elevations through Tuesday night. Flash flooding will be possible, in addition to river flooding. Excessive rainfall outlooks (flash flood potential) have been issued from Sunday through Wednesday so far.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-13 06-28-21-1765632646952.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>For more details, be sure to join us live at :50 past the hour for your Western Regional forecast.

Patrick Crawford

River Levels Dropping in the Northwest  -  Heavy Rain Returns Sunday Night

Screenshot20251213054827png-1765630456200.png

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.

Jesse Kelley

JesseKelleyjpeg-1679519197409.jpeg

So far this winter season, the major cities along Interstate 95 haven't seen much snow! However, snow is inbound for the corridor starting tonight into Sunday! Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories have been issued for the upcoming snow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/1-1765655081553.png">The timing of the precipitation will begin this evening as rain! Throughout the night as temperatures cool, a transition to snow will be likely and a few inches are likely! The current thinking is most of the snow will fall during overnight Sunday and lasting into the early afternoon hours! If you are traveling to some of the early NFL kickoffs Sunday, you might want to start the travel a little early as roadway conditions will be slick!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/New Baron Video 3-1765655404482.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Our forecast calls for snow amounts between 3-6" between Philadelphia and New York City! Lower amounts of 1-3" look likely from Boston down to Richmond, VA.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/1-1765655516878.png">

First Snow This Season For Interstate 95 This Weekend

1png-1765654885797.png

The Northern Tier of the country is no stranger to cold, and Tuesday morning proved that with multiple record lows. Watertown, New York, saw a morning low of -18°, which beat the old record of -16° in 2008. Temperatures rebounded quickly on Wednesday and Thursday, but another shot of arctic air is on the way into the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 042027-1765624861427.png"><h1>Another Blast Of Cold Air</h1>More dangerously cold weather is expected into the weekend. Temperatures will be 30° below average for some, as arctic air invades the Northern Plains and extends into the South. Cold alerts have been issued for parts of the Upper Midwest and continue to expand south into the Ohio Valley.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/pic6-1765652706095.png">Low temperatures this weekend will drop below zero for many. Minneapolis is expected to drop to -14 degrees on Sunday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 052718-1765628854441.png">Cold air will continue to spill south and east by Monday, with many areas from the Great Lakes to the Appalachians down to the single digits or even below zero! These are the forecast temperatures WITHOUT the wind chill!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 042850-1765625345413.png">So what do temperatures look like when we include the wind? Awful. Wind chills -20 to -40° will be possible across much of the Upper-Midwest during the mornings this weekend.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-13 05-29-20-1765628981397.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h1>South Cold</h1>The arctic air will spill all the way to the Gulf Coast from Sunday into Monday. Sub-freezing temperatures are expected for many, in what's likely to be the coldest air of the season so far for many areas.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-12 063626-1765546598217.png">Lows in Atlanta are expected to drop into the teens Monday morning with SINGLE DIGIT WIND CHILLS.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-13 05-35-03-1765629328985.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Cold weather alerts have been issued due to the extreme wind chills expected. Make sure you're bundling up and protecting your skin! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 053550-1765629364388.png">

Brutal Cold Returns to the Central & Eastern U.S. This Weekend

Screenshot20251213042739png-1765625284933.png

A series of clipper systems will continue to track from the Midwest into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic through Sunday. The first system brought around 2-6" of snow from Iowa into Virginia Thursday night into early Friday. The next system is trekking east with another round of snow and MUCH colder air, with some snowy impacts to the coast into Sunday. Alerts are in place for snowfall that's expected to be slightly heavier than the first round! With colder temperatures in place, fluffier snow is expected which could add up more quickly. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 064427-1765633474314.png">Snow will pick back up on Saturday afternoon from Iowa and Illinois to move back into the Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic region Saturday night. Snowfall will gradually end form west to east from Saturday evening into Sunday morning, with continued snow and gusty winds over the spine of the Appalachians.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-13 06-55-15-1765634138857.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Snowfall totals could top 4-6" in numerous areas (dark blue/purple colors - top of page) with 1-3" for areas outside of the main bands. BRUTALLY cold air will settle in during and behind the snowfall, with wind chills to nearly -20° in Indiana Sunday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 064808-1765633697477.png">For more information on this, be sure to join us on WeatherNation at :10 past the hour for your east regional and :30 past the hour for your central regional.

Next Round: More Snow for the Midwest, Ohio Valley

Screenshot20251213064138png-1765633450463.png

One of the best meteors showers of the year is expected to peak this weekend, with ideal viewing conditions producing up to 100 meteors per hour! The Geminid Meteor shower rivals the Perseids for the most prolific of the year, but it does happen in December so it is a much colder astronomical event to take in. Geminids tend to be bright and fast, producing tails of yellow. They originate from debris left behind from comet/asteroid 3200 Phaethon. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 070941-1765635559162.png">Most viewers in dark skies can expect to see about 40-50 meteors per hour, about one every minute or 90 seconds. Getting away from city lights will help you spy more meteors, especially earlier in night since the moon will be rising after midnight. I would recommend heading out to watch about two hours after sunset and settling in until the moonlight begins to influence viewing conditions.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 071009-1765635567841.png">Cloud cover can completely ruin meteor shower viewing, and unfortunately a lot of people from the Ohio Valley into the Southeast will have some cloud cover to completely cloudy skies Saturday night. The Western U.S. will have better viewing conditions, as will parts of Florida. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 071934-1765635594077.png">The other factor that may keep you inside is the extreme cold spilling across the country. Temperatures are expected to be below freezing and even below zero for many along and north of I-40. Mild temperatures will persist in the South and West.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-13 071945-1765635600044.png">While meteors will appear to originate from the constellation Gemini in the eastern sky, try to watch as much of the sky as possible to view the highest number of meteors. You'll miss most meteors if you use binoculars or a telescope so just watch naturally, hopefully lying on your back for awhile to let you eyes adjust. Happy hunting!

Over 100 Meteors Per Hour Possible - Geminids Peak Saturday Night!

Screenshot20251213070933png-1765635542063.png

Brittany Lockley

BrittanyLockleyjpeg-1679519515040.jpeg

Unseasonably warm temperatures are continuing to dominate much of the western United States, with several cities breaking or tying daily record highs. A persistent ridge of high pressure parked over the region is allowing warmer air to sink and compress, driving temperatures well above seasonal averages from the Pacific Coast to the Rockies.&nbsp; The one exception is in the state's Central Valley, where locked-in fog has kept temperatures chilly and skies gray. More on that in a minute...<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-11 162825-1765495734843.png">In parts of California, the Southwest, and the Intermountain West, afternoon highs have surged into the 70s and 80s. Temperatures are more typical of late spring than winter. Cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City have reported temperatures 15 to 25 degrees above normal, with some locations challenging long-standing records dating back decades.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-12 101936 - Copy-1765560001148.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-12 101930-1765560001145.png">The warmth is also impacting higher elevations. Mountain communities across Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are seeing milder daytime temperatures, accelerating snowmelt, and reducing snowpack at lower elevations, while ski resorts at higher altitudes remain largely unaffected for now. Hydrologists are monitoring conditions, as early melt can influence water availability later in the year.&nbsp;High temperature records up and down the western third of the country could fall through the weekend and the first half of next week. The upper-level ridge is forecast to stubbornly remain. This stretch of warmth is expected to persist into the near term, though temperatures may gradually trend closer to normal as the ridge weakens. Until then, residents are encouraged to remain mindful of fire&nbsp;weather concerns.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-12 170102-1765584071547.png"><h1>Tule Fog</h1>You may have noticed the persistent fog in the Central Valley, or even the much colder temperatures compared to the rest of the state. This fog is known as Tule (TOO-lee) Fog, and is somewhat common in the winter months. It's a radiational fog that occurs overnight, gets locked into the Central Valley (sometimes the Bay Area), and is beneficial to California's agricultural industry. However, with high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere not going anywhere lately, the Tule Fog has been incredibly persistent.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-12 170158-1765584125255.png">The fog is making a huge difference in temperatures! On Friday afternoon, Fresno was sitting under gray skies and a temperature of 48°. At the same time, over the Grapevine and into the valleys, temperatures were pushing into the upper 70s with blue skies.

Record Warmth Out West, Except for California's Central Valley

Screenshot20251213045253png-1765626777653.png

<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GtdF4xLBGXc" start="0"></iframe></div>As 2025 comes to an end, many people are expected to travel for the holiday season. AAA expects an increase in travelers compared to last year, 2024. The forecast calls for 119.7 million travelers, which is a 2.2% increase from 2024.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-10 151722-1765405796099.png">Traveling by car is the favorite for the holidays. AAA notes gas prices, on average, are also down in comparison to 2024.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-10 151733-1765406300348.png">Air travel is also up since 2024 by 2.3%. AAA expects 8.03 million people to be traveling to their destinations for the holidays via airplane. This will be the first time air travel for the year end holiday will exceed 8 million.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-10 151738-1765406099314.png">All other travel has also gone up by 9% since last year. This includes cruises, bus travel, and travel by train.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-10 151743-1765406410699.png">The top 10 destinations domestically are as follows:<ol><li>Orlando, FL</li><li>Fort Lauderdale, FL</li><li>Miami, FL</li><li>Anaheim/Los Angeles, CA</li><li>Honolulu, HI</li><li>Tampa, FL</li><li>New York City, NY</li><li>Maui, HI</li><li>Dallas/Fort Worth, TX</li><li>Las Vegas, NV</li></ol>For those major destinations, below are the busiest travel times.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-10 151754-1765406540451.png">More more information on the AAA travel forecast, including details on best and worst travel times: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/12/aaa-year-end-holiday-travel-forecast/">Year-End Holiday Travel Expected to Set New Record</a>.

End of Year Travel Expected to Break Records

Screenshot20251210151717png-1765405679199.png

Check out our Top 5 videos of the week!

https://youtu.be/dw_u7hnkLjI

For WeatherNation, I'm <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/meredith-garofalo/">Meteorologist Meredith Garofalo</a>

Who Made The Top 5?

River Levels Dropping in the Northwest - Heavy Rain Returns Sunday Night

NORTHWEST - A state of emergency was declared

First Snow This Season For Interstate 95 This Weekend

So far this winter season, the major cities a

Brutal Cold Returns to the Central & Eastern U.S. This Weekend

The Northern Tier of the country is no strang

Next Round: More Snow for the Midwest, Ohio Valley

A series of clipper systems will continue to

Over 100 Meteors Per Hour Possible - Geminids Peak Saturday Night!

One of the best meteors showers of the year i

Record Warmth Out West, Except for California's Central Valley

Unseasonably warm temperatures are continuing

End of Year Travel Expected to Break Records

As 2025 comes to an end, many people are expe