WeatherNation Meteorologists

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Relief from the recent heat has arrived for the northwestern U.S. with a diving trough, bringing cool and wet conditions. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has an enhanced risk issued for Thursday across the High Plains of Montana, into the Dakotas. All threats will be possible including destructive winds and a few isolated tornadoes!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/1-1726162135402.png">As moisture moves into the region, rainfall could prompt flash flood warnings. Through Thursday, there will be a marginal to slight risk for flooding across portions of Montana and Idaho.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/1-1726159133711.png">Higher elevations could even see some snowfall, which is not out of the normal for September.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 061519-1726143336227.png">Winter weather advisories have been issued across Idaho and Montana through Friday. Wet snowfall totals of 3"- 6" is likely above 6500 feet with isolated totals up to 6-10".<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 061545-1726143361539.png">With the help of our upper-level trough, cooler air aloft will help to bring in unsettled weather at the surface. This in addition to the mountainous topography and surface frontal boundary will allow for thunderstorms to intensify through Thursday evening, while cool air behind the front will drop temperatures in the higher elevations to produce snowfall.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Baron 2-1726159269211.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>With this system passing through, there will be much cooler temperatures for the end of the week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 140134-1726171299231.png">The west is still dealing with ongoing fire and smoke. More can be found here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/wildfires-erupt-out-west-this-weekend">Wildfires Erupt Out West</a>.Your Western Regional Forecast can be found :50 past the hour on WeatherNation.

Dave Holder

A Change in Pattern for the Northwest

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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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Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana as a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 100 mph and a central pressure down of 972 mb. The specific landfall location was in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, which is just 30 miles south of Morgan City. This system will continue to bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the south and southeast into the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/landfall-1726156432884.png">Related article: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tropical-system-expected-to-develop-this-week">Francine Moves North</a>What started as Potential Tropical Cyclone Six in the Gulf of Mexico, a developing area of low pressure only took a few days to strengthen to a hurricane and impact the U.S. coast. Francine was upgraded from a Tropical Storm to a category one hurricane Tuesday. After working through shear and dry air, Hurricane Hunter aircraft found that Francine was able to organize and drop its central pressure. Francine was upgraded to a category 2 with winds of 100 mph, just off of the Louisiana coast. It maintained that strength through landfall Wednesday afternoon.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1834207834676117699" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1834207834676117699"></div>Our field correspondents were on the ground as at least nine inches of rain inundated Metairie, Louisiana late Wednesday evening. Close to a foot of rainfall fell in the greater New Orleans/southeast Louisiana area. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/rain-1726152051077.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/rain map-1726152051076.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1834044924896878605" src="https://x.com/willnunley/status/1834044924896878605"></div>The National Hurricane Center issued this update with wind reports as Francine was making landfall:<blockquote><pre><code>Francine has made landfall in southern Louisiana in the Parish of 
Terrebonne, about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, as a 
Category 2 hurricane. Maximum sustained winds are estimated to be 
near 100 mph (155 km/h).

A NOS station located on Eugene Island recently reported a peak gust 
of 105 mph (169 km/h). The minimum pressure measured at that 
location was 976 mb (28.82 inches).</code></pre></blockquote><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Winds-1726152051078.png"><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1834035476111786354" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1834035476111786354"></div>Hundreds of thousands of customers in southeast Louisiana were still without power as of Thursday morning. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/power outage 8am-1726152051075.png">President Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for the state knowing that extra resources would be needed in the wake of storm damage. According to FEMA:<blockquote>"The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas.</blockquote><blockquote>Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support, will be provided at 75% federal funding for the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Calcasieu, Cameron, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge&nbsp;and West Feliciana.</blockquote><blockquote>Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding for the parishes of Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, De Soto, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll and Winn."</blockquote><h1>TIPS FOR RETURNING AND LIVING AT HOME IN THE AFTERMATH</h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/post-1726152051070.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/generator-1726152051073.png">

Jesse Kelley

Hundreds of Thousands Without Power After Francine

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Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana as a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 100 mph and a central pressure down of 972 mb. This system will continue to bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the central U.S. into the weekend. RELATED ARTICLE: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/cat-2-hurricane-francine-slams-gulf-coast">Francine's Gulf Coast Impacts</a>The central low pressure of Francine will continue moving north just to the east of the Mississippi River Thursday. Southerly winds pulling on shore from the Gulf of Mexico will enhance the severe weather threat for the Florida panhandle, Alabama and western Georgia. The primary threat will be spin-up tornadoes. Tropical tornadoes can happen quickly, with little warning. If a Tornado Watch is issued for your area, be sure to have a safety plan ready to go when a warning is issued.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064834-1726145326950.png">As Francine's forward progress and intensity relax, a few lingering tornadoes will be possible Friday in the same region.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 091139-1726153918982.png"> As the center of Francine's core lifts north, heavy rain and strong thunderstorms will stretch from the Mississippi Valley to the east coast.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Baron 2-1726159394392.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Widespread areas of 3-6 inches are expected with localized totals up to 10 inches. Northern Mississippi, West Tennessee, and northern Alabama are expected to see the widespread heavy rain, while it will be more scattered or isolated through Georgia and Florida.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064548-1726145155909.png">With the addition of saturated soils from recent rainy weather, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) expects flooding to continue overnight through the end of the week; overnight a MODERATE risk for flash flooding remains (level 3 out of 4).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064607-1726145215667.png">Because of this increased flood threat, Flood Watches have been issued across the southeast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 091343-1726154072642.png">There are other areas to monitor, in the Atlantic AND the Pacific Basins. Read more about those here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/atlantic-basin-becoming-active-again">Tropics Heating Up</a>

Francine Moves North with Heavy Rain and Tornadoes

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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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FLORIDA - the "Sunshine State" has been experiencing heavy rainfall in recent days, with more inland showers and storms to come over the next couple of afternoons. Some spots in northern Florida may even see the outer bands of Francine today and tomorrow.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Baron 2-1726159569051.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Rainfall totals for the remainder of the week for Florida could reach an additional 2-4"+ in some spots. The Weather Prediction Center has issued marginal and slight risks for Florida and parts of Georgia through Friday!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/1-1726159721870.png"><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-12 07-18-19-1726147133643.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Tune into WeatherNation for the latest details.

"Sunshine State" Staying Soggy

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Brittany Lockley

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Global temperatures continue to soar, with August 2024 marking the hottest in 175 years of recorded history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.&nbsp;August 2024 has also been the 15th month of record warm months.&nbsp;This milestone follows the Northern Hemisphere’s warmest meteorological summer on record.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/globalaug24map-1726159056965.png">(Image credit: NOAA/NCEI)Data released by NOAA highlights that August saw global temperatures exceed previous records by a significant margin. The average global land and ocean surface temperature in August was 2.29 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 60.1 degrees F.&nbsp;&nbsp;The month was not only the hottest August on record, but also stands out for the persistent heat across all continents and oceans.&nbsp;<h4>Unprecedented Heat in the Northern Hemisphere&nbsp;</h4>The Northern Hemisphere has significantly&nbsp;felt the worst part of these extreme impacts. Summer 2024, which includes June, July, and August, has surpassed the previous temperature record. This makes it the warmest season experienced since record keeping. The months combined were 2.74 degrees F above average. This record-breaking heatwave brought significant impacts, from wildfires burning over 6 million acres in North America. Europe has experienced prolonged droughts in regions across Asia and Africa. Asia had its second warmest August, while Africa and North America had their third warmest August.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/AugustClimRepGlobal1-1726158026239.png">(Image credit: NOAA/NCEI)<h4>The Impacts&nbsp;</h4>Beyond the immediate discomfort of the heat, the steadily rising trend of rising global temperatures does have a lasting impact. Ecosystems are stressed, sea ice&nbsp;continues to melt at faster rates, which leads to&nbsp;sea level rising, which ultimately threatens coastal communities. According to NOAA, Sea ice across the globe was the second smallest in the 46- year record, at 8.32 million square miles (about the area of North America), and Artic Sea ice was below average, with the fourth lowest on record.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/sea ice aug 24 new-1726159081665.png">(Image credit: NOAA/NCEI)When it comes to the increased temperatures and the tropics, August was average with 15 named storms, with Debby and Ernesto forming in the month of August.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 103010-1726158622913.png">Specifically, in the U.S., Phoenix, Arizona, shattered its own record with over 30 consecutive days of temperatures exceeding 110°F. The soaring heat, combined with a lack of rainfall, has also triggered widespread wildfires, which are ongoing in the west. &nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 102147-1726158126523.png">The summer of 2024 has left its mark in the records.&nbsp;

Earth Experiences Hottest August in 175-Year record

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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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Statistically, we are now past the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which happened on September 10th. However, based on accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), we still have about half of the tropical activity we see in a season left. And right on cue, the tropics are acting up. There are now six areas of concern in the Atlantic, one hurricane (Francine), and one tropical depression (Seven).<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-11 124841-1726080533189.jpg">The most pressing threat to land at this time is Hurricane Francine, expected to make landfall tonight, read more about it here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tropical-system-expected-to-develop-this-week">Francine Forms in the Gulf of Mexico</a>Tropical Depression Seven formed over the eastern Atlantic earlier Wednesday. As of now, it is expected to remain over the Atlantic for several days and strengthen into a tropical storm.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064128-1726144898823.png">If the forecast verifies, strengthening to a tropical storm, this storm would be named "Gordon". Thankfully, the cone of uncertainty does not have this bringing any impact to land or the United States.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064203-1726144930771.png">There are also three other areas of interest in the Atlantic Basic, 92L and 94L in the central Atlantic, and a tropical wave off the coast of the southeastern U.S. which models have been monitoring closely. There is still some uncertainty along the southeast, but heavy rain is possible this weekend if you live along the Carolinas Coast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 064233-1726144969943.png">Back out east of the Caribbean, there are two areas of investigation that the National Hurricane Center is monitoring. Invest 92L and Invest 94L. Models have Invest 92L weakening but keep 94L tracking west just to the north of the Caribbean.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-12 06-45-12-1726145152526.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>In the Eastern Pacific basin, Tropical Depression Nine-E formed early Thursday and is expected to become Tropical Storm Ileana as it moves north toward Cabo San Lucas and the Baja California Peninsula. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 093751-1726156876037.png">Nine-E is expected to gain some strength, but stay below hurricane status as it moves north, gradually weakening in the Gulf of California early next week. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 093829-1726156889226.png">Tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued for portions of the Baja Peninsula for strong winds. Rainfall from TD 9E could be heavy, with remnant moisture potentially pulled north into the Four Corners early next week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-12 100137-1726156910480.png">Stay with WeatherNation for the latest forecast on the tropics in the coming days.

Rob Bradley

Monitoring Multiple Areas of Interest in the Tropics

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ORANGE COUNTY, CA - The Airport Fire in southern California has burned over 23,000 acres as of Wednesday night, prompting mandatory evacuations along the Ortega Highway according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The video above is a timelapse of the fire burning in Santiago Peak, a fire watchtower, observed earlier this Tuesday afternoon. Live conditions of this fire can be found here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cameras.alertcalifornia.org/?pos=33.6786_-117.5444_12">UC San Diego Alert California.</a><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1833994177300017646" src="https://x.com/OCFireAuthority/status/1833994177300017646"></div>Hot and dry weather has been a theme of the summer for many out West. Widespread fire weather alerts remain in place for the western U.S. and now pushing into the Plains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-11 193031-1726104646600.jpg">The Bridge Fire exploded on Tuesday across the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Glendora, CA. Numerous evacuations have been ordered across the communities of Pinion Hills, Wrightwood, along with much of the Mt. Baldy area. The Line Fire has prompted evacuations in San Bernardino County as flames have burned over 36k acres. Containment has increased to 18%.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-11 192920-1726104660890.jpg">The Airport Fire burning in Orange County has grown quickly. Evacuation orders remain in place and the cause is still under investigation.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1833664252139155533" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1833664252139155533"></div>Near Reno, the Davis Fire has brought smoky skies to the Lake Tahoe area, with zero containment so far. The fire has grown to over 5,500 acres.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1833291765086097643" src="https://x.com/RenoFirefighter/status/1833291765086097643"></div>For more details on the cooldown, catch your West Regional Forecast at :50 past every hour!

Airport Fire in California Prompts Evacuations

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UPDATE: The Ruston tornado was at least an EF-3 and the San Augustine twister was at least an EF-2 per the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSShreveport">National Weather Service Office in Shreveport, Louisiana</a>.

Overnight, tornadoes caused significant damage in Texas and Louisiana. At least two storm-related fatalities were confirmed in Ruston, Louisiana.

https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1121378591172726785

Louisiana Tech University took a direct hit and will be closed on Thursday. Several university facilities on campus suffered significant damage.

https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1121387509416464384

Earlier on Friday night, storms began in Texas. Spawning large hail, swift winds, and at least two twisters. A number of homes in San Augustine, Texas were completely leveled.

https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1121409982333734914

Stay with <a href="http://twitter.com/weathernation">WeatherNation</a> as the tornado threat will continue to shift east this afternoon and evening.

Significant Tornado Damage in Louisiana and Texas

A Change in Pattern for the Northwest

Relief from the recent heat has arrived for t

Hundreds of Thousands Without Power After Francine

Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana

Francine Moves North with Heavy Rain and Tornadoes

Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana

"Sunshine State" Staying Soggy

FLORIDA - the "Sunshine State" has been exper

Earth Experiences Hottest August in 175-Year record

Global temperatures continue to soar, with Au

Monitoring Multiple Areas of Interest in the Tropics

Statistically, we are now past the climatolog

Airport Fire in California Prompts Evacuations

ORANGE COUNTY, CA - The Airport Fire in south