Kevin Schneider

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Low-pressure systems have been on a tear recently, tracking relentlessly through the southern tier of the country this week. Stalled frontal boundaries have helped these lows ring out moisture, producing flooding and flash flooding in numerous areas. The parade of storms isn't over, either, as multiple waves of low pressure continue to move through the South into next week. With multiple rounds of storms on the way, flooding remains a considerable threat. <h1>FORECAST</h1>Going forward, the heaviest rainfall will target the lower Mississippi River Valley and into the Midwest. Some areas will pick up 3-5 more inches, with some localized areas surpassing that easily. If you live in a flood-prone area of the southern plains into the Ohio River Valley, be prepared to seek higher ground.With rounds of heavy rain expected over the next several days, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has issued Marginal to Slight chances for Excessive Rainfall through tonight and into next week.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/south flooddd-1779622194204.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>You can see that some areas, especially the Texas Gulf Coast, will have multiple days in a row of excessive rain. Flooding is likely with this forecast, and flood emergencies can't be ruled out for travelers. Use caution if you are travelling in these hard-hit areas today.A good reminder to avoid driving through flooded roadways at all costs. You never know what's under that water.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-19 053417-1779190502548.png">While this rain is leading to flash flooding, it is beneficial for many areas since drought conditions are widespread and intense for many of these locations.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-23 071648-1779542228755.png">

Jackie Brown

Repeated Rain Raising the Flood Threat

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Karissa is the Director of On-Air Operations at WeatherNation. Karissa grew up loving math and science, but really fell in love with Meteorology while attending the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. After two summers of storm chasing in the central plains, she knew that it was the career path for her. Standing in front of a thunderstorm and feeling the cool outflow knock her over was an experience she will never forget. After two years at COD, she transferred to Metropolitan State University of Denver. Karissa graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology. Her high school and college speech and meteorology professors were extremely supportive and pushed her to succeed. Before joining the WeatherNation team, she previously worked as the Morning Meteorologist at KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa and at WMBD-TV in Peoria, IL. She recently was part of a National Edward R. Murrow award winning team for breaking news for their coverage of the EF-4 tornado in Washington, Illinois. In her free time, Karissa enjoys cooking and trying new foods. She is a self proclaimed 'TV Junkie' who can get into just about any show. She is a die hard Chicago sports fan who loves attending professional sporting events.

Karissa Klos

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NOAA has released <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-predicts-below-normal-2026-atlantic-hurricane-season">their predictions for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season</a>. They are calling for a below normal season with 8-14 named storms, 3-6 hurricanes, and 1-3 major hurricanes. For probability, they predict a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season, and a 55% chance of a below-normal season. As a reminder, even below average seasons can have major impacts. All it takes is one storm making landfall for it to be a devastating season in the U.S.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 100455-1779379504114.png">NOAA sites several factors in their forecast, including the burgeoning El Ni­­ño, and possible Super Ni­­ño, shaping up in the tropical Pacific. The expectation for an El Ni­­ño event during the peak of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane season is a big factor in keeping numbers lower than previous years, along with near normal sea surface temperatures, which have been much above average in recent seasons.The confidence in an El Niño developing this summer is quite high, but the remaining question is how strong will the event be? A weak El Ni­­ño typically has a lower impact on the tropics in the Atlantic, while a strong El Ni­­ño has a more consistent impact. Each updated forecast from the Climate Prediction Center shows higher confidence in this year's El Ni­­ño being on the strong side.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 083641-1779374209515.png">Why does El Ni­­ño typically reduce hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin? The warmer water in the equatorial pacific often leads to a more energetic sub-tropical jet, leading to stronger winds in the upper-atmosphere over the Caribbean. Surface winds in the Caribbean most often comes from the east, known as the trade winds. When these winds lay under strong winds from the opposite (or even the same direction), it leads to strong wind shear which tears hurricanes apart.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 063418-1775740706915.png">“Although El Niño’s impact in the Atlantic Basin can often suppress hurricane development, there is still uncertainty in how each season will unfold,” said NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham. “That is why it’s essential to review your hurricane preparedness plan now. It only takes one storm to make for a very bad season.”If this year's name list looks familiar, it's the same one from the historically active 2020 season. There is one difference: the name "Laura" was retired after Hurricane Laura devastated the Louisiana coast. It was replaced with "Leah".<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot 2026-04-09 065301-1775741404492.png"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/csu-releases-first-hurricane-forecast-for-2026">Colorado State University's Tropical Weather Department has already released their early forecast for the Atlantic Hurricane Season.</a> They are calling for a near normal to slightly below average season with 13 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. Even with a slightly below average season, major hurricanes are expected with many other named storms. Any named storm that hits land can have major to extreme impacts, so join us here on WeatherNation for Hurricane Prep Week! We'll be talking science with the experts, preparations and so much more. Be sure to check us out LIVE on<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/watch-us"> these platforms</a> or on our YouTube stream June 1-7!<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CcuXpHBtV9o" start="0"></iframe></div>

NOAA Predicts Below Normal 2026 Hurricane Season

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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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Heavy rain has already hit numerous areas in the Southeast this past week, creating major flash flooding issues in Atlanta. A marginal risk for severe weather remains in place today for portions of GA, AL &amp; FL. Damaging winds and hail will be the primary concern.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2057228892034011249" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2057228892034011249"></div>As a stalled frontal boundary lingers in the area, plenty of additional showers and storms are expected. Severe weather is possible too (top of page) with risks outlined through Saturday, so far. Additional risks may be added for Sunday and Monday. Storms have produced a few brief tornadoes like this below in Tuscaloosa County, AL, and it was rated an EF-1.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/~~~LICENSED~~~~ VON_052226_RSE_TUSCALOSSA COUNTY, AL_TORNADO PASSSES IN FRONT OF HIGHWAY_CND_CONNER JACOBS-CDN_LS_E052226-1779502531272.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video> As the low moves north and east today, an associated frontal boundary will be the focus for the strongest storms. Scattered showers and storms will linger in the South through the holiday on Monday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/low moves through-1779638366486.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Additional heavy rain is expected to increase the potential for flash flooding, in addition to the severe weather threats. For more on the flood potential, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/repeated-rain-raises-flood-threat-down-south">click here</a>.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-23 073318-1779543220474.png">

Severe Storms, Heavy Rain Target the Southeast

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Several rounds of storms have been swinging through the Southern Plains the last few days, producing large hail, damaging winds, flooding, and even a few tornadoes. Severe storms will remain in the forecast for the long weekend, with all modes of severe weather possible. Yet again, hail was the biggest risk of severe weather on Friday, with hail up to tennis and baseball-sized across the Texas Panhandle. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1779501942188.png">Additional scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast for parts of the Lone Star state and Mississippi (top of page), with the biggest hazards being damaging winds, large hail, and heavy downpours. An isolated tornado or two will be possible across portions of the Magnolia State. <h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-23 144208-1779568935067.png">Forecast</h1>New rounds of thunderstorms are expected across the Southern Plains through the evening hours, with some storms persisting overnight. By Sunday, the upper-level energy supporting the storms will move farther east toward the Sabine River, bringing a better chance for storms into Louisiana and Mississippi.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/sattxstorms-1779569121085.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>As mentioned above, heavy rainfall is likely in spots, and flooding will occur. The Gulf coast of Texas and Louisiana could see rainfall of over six inches!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-23 144544-1779569159662.png">

Dave Holder

Severe Storms Persist in the Southern Plains, Gulf Coast

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released several important seasonal outlooks today, including their expectations for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season. Hurricane season and summer are expected to be impacted by a burgeoning El Niño, which could be very strong through much of the second half of 2026. Among the new outlooks issued are the seasonal forecasts for meteorological summer, which runs from June through August. NOAA is expecting much of the lower 48 to experience above-average temperatures (top of page), with higher confidence across the Western U.S. The Midwest and parts of the middle Mississippi Valley have an even chance for above or below-average temperatures.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 113803-1779385356524.png">Much of the country is forecast to have near-normal rainfall for meteorological summer, but a few areas are favored for below-average precipitation. These include the Texas Gulf Coast, Upper-Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. In contrast, the Northeastern U.S. is slightly favored to see above-average precipitation. There is some confidence in parts of the Four Corners region having above-average rainfall, indicating the Climate Prediction Center expects an above-average monsoon season.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 113858-1779385377893.png">Not surprisingly, the forecast rainfall in the Four Corners could lead to drought improvement, which is expected in the seasonal drought outlook (above). Drought is also expected to improve in Florida, parts of Texas, and the lower Mississippi Valley. Drought is expected to expand or develop from California through Minnesota.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 113928-1779385397348.png">The North American Monsoon (NAM) develops in Mexico in June and shifts north into the Four Corners, Great Basin, and California into July, August, and September. More data is needed to understand any correlation between El Niño and the NAM, but tropical systems tend to be more active in the Eastern Pacific during El Niño years. Remnants of these systems can greatly increase rainfall during the NAM.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 114106-1779385397348.png">

NOAA Releases Summer Outlook, Above Average Temperatures Expected

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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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SIMI VALLEY, CA - On Monday, May 18th in Ventura County, California, a new wildfire formed named the Sandy Fire. It has since burned over 2100 acres and grew quickly, threatening life and property. This prompted evacuation orders and warnings to the area.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1779416671274.png">Footage in the region shows the extent of the smoke and poor air quality.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2056736634754809931" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2056736634754809931"></div>Additional fires have since quickly formed in southern California, despite no red flag warnings or fire weather outlook. The winds managed to be strong enough for fires to quickly get out of control in the areas. The Bain Fire in Riverside started to burn heavy fuels at a moderate rate before quickly burning up to almost 1000 acres. This prompted evacuation orders and warnings for many Riverside Zones.The Bain Fire is burning in Riverside County, CA. This fire began on Tuesday, May 19, and quickly spread to over 1,400 acres. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1779416718052.png">Another fire we are watching is one that possibly started from a shipwrecked sailor off the coast of California. This is the Santa Rosa Island Fire which is over 16,000 acres. Not many people reside on this island but there are species on the island that are threatened by the fire.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-03-29 061107-1779367133110.png">Due to the extent of several wildfires burning in southern California, air quality has worsened in the area, and air quality alerts have been issued for parts of the Greater Los Angeles area.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/1-1779416760992.png">For more on these, be sure to join us at WeatherNation at :50 past the hour.

Jesse Kelley

CALIFORNIA: Wildfires Prompt Evacuations

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ROCKIES - Through the rest of the week, an upper-level low and a cold front will move into the Rocky Mountains, bringing cooler air, chances for thunderstorms, and even snow across the region!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 114928-1779385809408.png">A Winter Weather Advisory and Winter Storm Warning have been issued for portions of Montana and Wyoming in the higher elevations. Heavy snow is expected on north-facing slopes above 7,000 feet, where snowfall totals of 8–13 inches are possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 115055-1779385865123.png">In addition to the snowy conditions, temperatures ahead of the system will remain warm enough to support instability and thunderstorms. Portions of the Plains are under a highlighted risk area for severe thunderstorms as this cooler air mass collides with the warmer air ahead of the front. A SLIGHT (Level 2 out of 5) risk for severe thunderstorms is forecast for Colorado and surrounding states today. Wind and hail are expected to be the primary hazards, but a tornado or two will be possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 115022-1779386008123.png">As the front moves in and provides additional forcing, stronger storms will become possible through the afternoon and evening.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/eco-1779386103698.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall totals are not expected to be nearly as high as they were earlier this week, but some minor disruptions to outdoor plans during the holiday long weekend are still possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot 2026-05-21 115520-1779386130337.png">Be sure to join us on WeatherNation for the latest!

Rockies Brace for Snow, Severe Storms as Cold Front Moves In

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<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZErOrwwnX4g" start="0"></iframe></div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092024_Helene.pdf">HURRICANE HELENE</a> - Helene made landfall Thursday, September 26, 2024, as a powerful category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph and pressure of 939 MB. Helene's eyewall passed about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida at 11:10 p.m. ET on Florida's Gulf Coast. In the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Helene was one of five landfalling storms along the Gulf coast, including three in Florida.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot 2025-09-24 135342-1758743646080.png"><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5uqc6I6wcXM" start="0"></iframe></div>The remnants of Helene brought catastrophic flooding, which prompted a record 34 Flash Flood Emergencies across portions of Appalachia and Mid-South. Including the first ever for the city of Atlanta, GA after 11" of rain. The highest total from the storm topped out above 30" in North Carolina. A precursor event saturated the soils ahead of Helene. The USGS documented that the heavy rain on top of the impacted soils prompted more than 2000 landslides. 63 stream and river gauges exceeded their record flood levels during Helene. 2,700+ water rescues were documented, about half from storm surge and half from fresh water flooding.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-27 160234-1727474573331.jpg"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot 2025-09-24 140622-1758744396604.png">According to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://poweroutage.us">poweroutage.us</a>, a total of 7.4 million customers lost power at some point during Helene. Below, you can see the counties impacted at the height of the storm.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/power outages tue am-1727778005216.jpg">According to the National Hurricane Center Storm Surge Unit, preliminary post-landfall storm surge heights for the Big Bend region of Florida near Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee, and Horseshoe Beach had water levels reach more than 15 feet above ground level.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oqhRd4azGbQ" start="0"></iframe></div><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot 2025-09-24 135851-1758744720273.png">Even places like Tampa, Florida saw storm surge rise to nearly 8 feet. St. Petersburg, FL set a storm surge record of 6.31ft.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1839689737440841904" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1839689737440841904"></div>The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has unfortunately left scenes of devastation from Florida's Big Bend, the southeast, and Appalachia. 250 lives were lost during Helene. 176 were attributed to direct meteorological impacts. The other indirect fatalities were from medical issues, heart attacks, car accidents and incidents during post-storm cleanup.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot 2025-09-24 142115-1758745288551.png">Hurricane Helene cause $78.7 billion dollars in damage, making it the 7th costliest hurricane in U.S. history.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p7IG-tghJLo" start="0"></iframe></div>

Remembering Hurricane Helene: One Year Later

Repeated Rain Raising the Flood Threat

Low-pressure systems have been on a tear rece

NOAA Predicts Below Normal 2026 Hurricane Season

NOAA has released their predictions for the 2

Severe Storms, Heavy Rain Target the Southeast

Heavy rain has already hit numerous areas in

Severe Storms Persist in the Southern Plains, Gulf Coast

Several rounds of storms have been swinging t

NOAA Releases Summer Outlook, Above Average Temperatures Expected

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ

CALIFORNIA: Wildfires Prompt Evacuations

SIMI VALLEY, CA - On Monday, May 18th in Vent

Rockies Brace for Snow, Severe Storms as Cold Front Moves In

ROCKIES - Through the rest of the week, an up