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

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<p>After a devastating end to last week in the Plains, the severe weather threat continues across the Great Plains on Wednesday and Thursday. Please be severe weather aware and have multiple ways to receive severe weather alerts. On Tuesday, multiple tornadoes were spotted across the Plains, including in cities across Oklahoma and Kansas. Check out this video of a EF-3 tornado caught on camera late Tuesday afternoon in Westmoreland, KS, about 130 miles from Kansas City. Sadly, a person was killed by this tornado and 22 buildings were destroyed in the small town north of I-70.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1785437957110858030" src="https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1785437957110858030"></div><p>Our field correspondent, Brandon Clement, took this video in Westmoreland early Wednesday morning of some of the damage.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/VO_050124_RNC_WESTMORELAND, KS_DRONE VIEW OF TORNADO DAMAGE_WHATSAPP_BRANDON CLEMENT_KW_E050124-1714570595498.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>The severe weather risk continues Wednesday for central Kansas and much of the southern Plains. The Storm Prediction Center has issued an <strong>ENHANCED </strong>risk (level 3 out of 5) with threats of significant-size hail and tornadoes. Once again, large hail (2" in diameter) is possible for central Kansas through West Texas.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/overenight  jj -1714612738201.png">Currently, thunderstorms are firing off a dry line in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle region. Through the rest of the evening and the overnight hours, all modes of severe weather will be possible including tornadoes, damaging large hail, and strong winds. Overnight, these storms cluster into a strong line that blasts through Texas with damaging winds and heavy rainfall.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/kkjlj;-1714612857701.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Showers and storms will be ongoing early Thursday morning through Texas, Oklahoma, and western Arkansas. Heat during the day will help to enhance these thunderstorms and potentially contribute to stronger winds through Louisiana and Mississippi in the second half of the day. Individual storms form back through the Plains of Oklahoma and Texas by sundown Thursday night and cluster into our overnight severe threat along and east of I-35 through Friday morning. Showers continue into the Great Lakes overnight too.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-01 11-40-30-1714585262350.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Alana Cameron

Tornado Threat Targeting the Nation's Heartland

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<div>Lucy is originally from the Boston area but has spent the last four years forecasting and living in Colorado! She stayed in the northeast for her education, graduating Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Oswego with a B.S. in Meteorology. Just a few days after graduation, she made the cross country move to Colorado Springs, CO to begin her career at KKTV, the CBS affiliate. Lucy has covered historic blizzards, tornadoes, windstorms, the largest wildfires in Colorado state history and dust storms ... they truly "get it all" in Colorado! Lucy is excited to forecast on a national level and continue her passion of explaining the science behind the weather!</div>
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Lucy Bergemann

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<p>Flooding has become a serious component of our nearly week-long severe weather threat, which is still ongoing. Overnight, the flood threat remains highest in Texas including Austin, Waco, and College Station. Flood alerts stretch from San Antonio through Shreveport and include much of the I-45 and I-35 corridors. Related article:<strong><em><u> </u></em></strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/another-round-of-strong-storms-targets-the-heartland"><strong><em><u>Another Round of Strong Storms Targets The Heartland</u></em></strong></a></p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/05-01_flood alerts-1714611743454.png">Some spots in Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma have seen well over 9" of rainfall in the past few days, contributing to the elevated concern for flood threats. The ground is already <em>highly saturated in many states (areas in blue), with spots seeing 150% of</em> their normal amount of rainfall in the last 30 days. One silver lining to this forecast is that much of the Central Plains (Kansas, Missouri) is still dealing with drought. This rainfall will no doubt help alleviate some of the drought concerns but remember that too much of a good thing can turn bad. </p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/percent of norm-1714571946780.jpg">By the end of the week, rainfall totals across the Plains could amount fo 5"+. Our in-house forecast models paint the bullseye across east Texas, Louisiana, and up into the central Plains including Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/05-01 forecast rainfall-1714612328110.png"></p><p>Another wave of energy moves off the Rockies and into the Plains Friday through the weekend with more wet weather potential. The flood threat continues to be elevated, especially in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. We can't stress enough how important it is to adhere to any flood alerts that may be issued in the upcoming days.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-01 07-57-59-1714572223364.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>A few storms with our weekend wave of energy may be on the stronger side on Friday. As a result, the Storm Prediction Center has issued a MARGINAL (level 1 out of 5) risk for severe weather in western Kansas and eastern Colorado on Friday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/spc fri-1714582844359.jpg"></p>

Texas Flood Threat Continues Overnight

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<p>Temperatures will be soaring along the East Coast this week as a ridge of high pressure dominates the forecast. The warmth will stretch from Florida and the Gulf Coast to New England! It will feel like early June rather than early May. On Wednesday, a record high was broken in Greenwood, Mississippi where the temperatures hit 91° beating the old record of 90° set back in 1959.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/ms-1714612882675.png"></p><h2>Northeast</h2><p>In the Northeast, our warmest days will be Thursday and Friday when temperatures jump into the 80s and even close to 90 degrees for many cities along I-95. This will be about 20 degrees above average!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/thu-1714592742875.jpg">The warmth continues on Friday in the mid-Atlantic while we start to see cold air intrusion in New England. Temperatures fall through the weekend back towards or below average (Northeast). The reason for the cool down in New England is a cold front that moves on Thursday. It won't produce a whole lot of wet weather, but a few isolated showers in coastal Massachusetts and Maine are possible. More showers arrive with an additional system on Saturday and will contribute to a larger cool-down for the Midwest.</p><h2><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/3 day-1714592742873.jpg">Southeast</h2><p>The heat will also impact the Southeast, and while it won't necessarily be record-setting, it will be about 10-15 degrees above normal. Highs jump into the 90s in Florida Peninsula with close to 90 even up into central Alabama. In Atlanta, we'll run about 10 degrees above average on Thursday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/south-1714592742871.jpg">There is confidence in the above-average temperature forecasting continuing through the next couple of weeks. We expect above-average temperatures from the Carolinas through the Gulf Coast!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/xtended-1714592742867.jpg"></p>

Temps Climb on the East Coast

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<p>This weekend an incoming storm system will bring widespread wet weather to the West Coast with snow anticipated into the high elevations of California. A low-pressure system moves out of the Pacific Ocean and slides onto the West Coast by Saturday. This incoming storm system pulls in moisture from the Pacific in addition to lift to assist with storm development and support through the West Coast. This comes on the heels of a storm system bringing wet weather from the Pacific Northwest through the Rockies into Thursday.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/04/2024-04-30 14-20-53-1714510761654.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>A frontal boundary moves onshore Friday with rain and snow spreading inland throughout the evening Friday into Saturday. As temperatures fall throughout the day on Saturday we will see more high-elevation snowfall, especially in the Sierra Nevada and Cascades. Steady snow continues into Sunday for the highest elevations with rainfall for lower elevations. Where that cut-off is is still to be determined as the system gets closer and we can determine the temperature profile.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/05-01_West 18z-1714613037743.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>The heaviest snowfall will be in the Sierra Nevada, where upwards of 3" of snow is likely for the highest elevations. Snowfall in the Cascades of Oregon and Washington will be on a similar total amount.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/05-01_west 15k-1714613104622.png"></p><p>If it feels like snow is falling late into the season, you may be surprised to know that the season's last snow for many West Coast communities lingers into May and for the highest elevations, even into June!</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/04/est avg snowfall-1714510694011.jpg">Stay with WeatherNation for the latest on the forecast for the upcoming weekend.</p>

First Weekend in May Brings Snow to West Coast

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Kevin Schneider

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<p>Welcome to May! The month normally boasts severe storms, Mother's Day and later sunsets. This weekend will be the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Saturday evening - and rain could affect things.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/Summer countdown-1714568488325.png">A dynamic upper-level low will bring the shot at some storms on Friday to parts of the Ohio River Valley, but models are hinting at a fast moving wave joining the party late Friday night into Saturday. That could meet up with enough moisture to keep scattered showers around northern Kentucky into the first day of the weekend. This is where it could be raining around race-time (below).</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/GFS for KY-1714568498978.png">The Kentucky Derby says on its website that it's a "rain or shine" event, so no delays are expected. However, the conditions could be a little muddy for the horses when the gates open Saturday at 6:57 PM ET.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/kentucky derby daypart-1714568509182.png"></p>

Jackie Brown

Trotting Around Rain Chances at the 150th Kentucky Derby

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<p>Similar areas that have been at risk since the end of April will experience another bout of severe weather on Monday, May 6th. The Storm Prediction Center [SPC] has issued the severe weather outlook from central Nebraska through northern Texas, indicating high confidence in the severe weather potential. </p><p>This is thanks to another wave of energy from the Pacific moving east throughout the weekend, providing enough lift to support storm development. At the surface we have moisture streaming north contributing to instability ahead of a surface cold front. </p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-01 10-51-01-1714583042845.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>The central and southern Plains are a bullseye for severe weather in May. The moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and cooler air from Canada clash over Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, elevating the severe threat. We know this is another day of severe weather on the horizon, but please don't let severe weather fatigue get the best of you.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/BULLESYE-1714582936940.jpg">Stay with WeatherNation for the latest information on the severe weather threat ahead in early May. </p>

Monday Severe Weather Threat Hits the Plains Again

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<p>Spring snow opportunities continue in the Rocky Mountains, with snow expected through the middle of the week from the Cascades of Oregon to the Rockies of Montana, the Tetons of Wyoming, and the Front Range of Colorado. The snow is especially welcomed at ski resorts that are still open. Breckenridge is expected to stay open through May 12th, and Snowbird in Utah is expected to close on Memorial Day Weekend!</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/nwww-1714613142940.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>This active pattern is all thanks to two areas of low pressure in our upper atmosphere, known as "double barrel lows," that follow one right after the other. The low-pressure systems pull in moisture and energy to produce high-elevation snowfall and rainfall for the lower elevations.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/04/2024-04-30 10-31-43-1714495076445.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p>Steady snow continues in the highest elevations of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado through Wednesday, with another round of moisture moving onshore for Oregon, mostly as rain. The bottom line is that it stays unsettled in our highest peaks through the end of the week. Snowfall totals will be 6"+ for areas over 8,000' where winter weather advisories are in effect for Montana mountains.</p>

Spring Snow in the Mountain West

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<strong>Smoke Continues to Plague United States</strong>

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Fires in the west are continuing to burn causing air quality concerns for the Northwest.

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Air quality alerts are in effect for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho through Wednesday. Some side of effects of the smoke include burning eyes, runny nose, and even aggravation of heart and lung diseases. Make sure to keep an eye on children, elderly, and people with respiratory illnesses. Also, make sure to limit outdoor activities over the next 48 hours. Conditions are expected to improve Wednesday night.

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These fires are not only affecting the west, though. A westerly wind is spreading the smoke towards the eastern half of the United States. Luckily, rain from the Dakotas to Texas has helped clear out much of the thick smoke. That rain will continue to spread east for the next 48 hours. This will help clear out some of the smoke from Minnesota to New York.

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For WeatherNation -Meteorologist <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/shelly-lindblade/">Shelly Lindblade</a>

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