Originally born in Spokane, Washington,  Jackie's Dad was in the Air Force which led her to a life of travel. She has lived in Wichita, Okinawa, Japan, Baltimore, New Jersey, Indiana and South Carolina.  After graduating from Kadena High School, in Okinawa Japan, she got a full basketball scholarship to Coppin State College. On the court she was a 4-year starter and reached over 1000 points in her basketball career. She was also named Athlete of the Year for the whole university in 2002. Off the court, she earned a degree in Broadcast Production/English.

After college, she landed a job as a radio personality. Jackie went on to have a successful career for 12 years working at KXLY broadcast center. While on the radio, she decided to change career. Jackie went back to school, graduating from the Mississippi State Meteorology Broadcast Program. From snow, to tornadoes, to hurricanes, she has had experience forecasting all these events.

Jackie Brown

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<p>The Warmth continues across the west. A ridge of high pressure and downsloping winds will be key factors to help bring warm air across the Northwest and Southwest this week. Records can be seen all across the West through Friday.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/WED FRI -1768351524043.png">Temperatures on Wednesday will range from 10° - 20° degrees above average. Billings, Montana, will see a high of 64°, almost 30°above average! <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/WEDSSSSAAA-1768351355142.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/WEDSAA-1768351364701.png">The southwest will be above average as well. Most cities will be around 10-15 degrees above average. On Wednesday, Los Angeles will reach a high of 83°, almost 20° above the normal! The warmth will stick around for most of the week across the southwest.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/WED THRU FRI DDDD-1768351428681.png">There remains high confidence that temperatures will remain above average across the west from January 18 - 22. The highest confidence is across California and Nevada.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 080746-1768316873694.png">For more information on your Western Regional forecast, tune into WeatherNation at :50 past the hour.</p>

Record Warmth in Store For the West

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<p>A deep trough of low pressure will help Arctic air sink south, bringing on below-average temperatures across the south. The week started with most near average, but by Thursday, cold air spreads into the south, and temperatures will dip into the 30s and 40s.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 160335-1768345419420.png"></p><h1>Wind Chills</h1><p>Not only will the air temperatures be cold, but gusty winds will aid in forecast wind chills in the single digits and teens. Nashville will feel like 10° on Thursday morning, and Atlanta will have a "feels-like" temperature of just 13°! It will be a cold morning commute, so make sure to layer up!<br><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-12 201825-1768274312374.png">As we look at the 7-day forecasts for Birmingham and Nashville, you can see temperatures near normal on Tuesday, but by Thursday plummet to the 30s. On Friday, we see temperatures rebound to the 40s.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/birmingham-1768330147593.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/nashvill-1768330169720.png">For your eastern regional forecast, tune into WeatherNation :10 past the hour.</p>

Arctic Air Blasts The South This Week

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<p>A trough of low pressure will dive south, with multiple waves of precipitation over the next few days. Areas from the Great Lakes down to the south will have the potential for rain, ice, and snow.</p><h1>TIMING</h1><p>At the surface, an Arctic front will work its way south. As it dives south, we can see lake effect snow around the Great Lakes, and as it continues south, rain and snow through Thursday. Winter weather advisories are in place across the Great Lakes, with a few advisories in effect across the higher elevations of Tennessee and North Carolina.</p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/01-13 east bams18z-1768350578867.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><p></p><p></p><h1>FORECAST TOTALS</h1><p>Snow totals will be around 1-4 inches, with localized heavier amounts where heavy bands of snow set up. Portions of Michigan and Northern Illinois have the potential to see localized foot of snow through Thursday night. Across the south, snowfall totals are on the lighter ends, with the heaviest of it in the higher elevations. Rainfall totals will be on the lighter side with around a quarter of an inch or less through Thursday night.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 172948-1768350595791.png">Winter storm impacts are expected to be minor to moderate for this part of the country.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 173008-1768350614864.png">Tune into WeatherNation :10 past the hour for the latest updates on this forecast.</p>

Snow and Rain  From the Great Lakes to the South

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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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<p><strong>COLORADO - </strong>As of January 13, 2026, the season-to-date snowpack, measured as snow water equivalent (SWE), is at its lowest level ever recorded. Records date back to 1987 for the snowpack. Snowpack records for the state date back to 1987, and no other January 13 has seen a lower SWE. Unfortunately, the long-range forecast doesn’t offer much help, with little to no snowfall expected this week.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 140811-1768338498328.png"></p><h3>Forecast</h3><p>This week brings little to no relief from the snow drought Colorado has been experiencing. While a few isolated mountain locations may pick up a light dusting, accumulations are expected to be minimal and not significant enough to meaningfully improve the snowpack.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 173143-1768350710877.png"></p><h3>Why Is Snowpack Important?</h3><p>Snowpack runoff is essential for filling up Colorado's reservoirs that supply drinking water to communities along the Rocky Mountains, while also supporting agriculture, vegetation, and wildlife. A healthy snowpack also helps reduce drought impacts later in the year, making winter snowfall vital for the state’s long-term water supply.</p><h3>Is There Hope for This Winter?</h3><p>In short, yes! According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/support/states/CO/products/#state=co&amp;element=wteq">USDS</a>, Colorado’s snowpack typically doesn’t peak until April, meaning there is still time for impactful winter storms. Climatologically, the median peak SWE for the state occurs around April 8. According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml">Climate Prediction Center</a>, there's about a 75% chance of transitioning to ENSO-neutral during January to March 2026. This shift can be more favorable for mountain snowfall, leaving the door open for some recovery later this winter.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 124740-1768333665912.png"></p><p></p><p>For the latest information on how the forecast is looking for these areas that need precipitation, be sure to join us at :50 past the hour for your west regional forecast.</p>

Colorado Snowpack Hits Record Low for Mid-January

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Kevin Schneider

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<p>You wouldn't think we had enough snow in the mountains to bring on avalanches, but that's the case. All it takes are two differing layers of snow and you could have a problem. Insane footage came out of the past weekend, where a group of snowboarders got caught up in one, thankfully living to tell the tale.</p><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2010788181818618102" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2010788181818618102"></div><p>The lack of snowfall doesn't mean there is none. While many areas like Colorado are running behind schedule, it's less about the amount of snowfall and more about the conditions on the mountain.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 062428-1768310755557.jpg">This comes on the heels of two losing their lives in Washington going into last weekend from an avalanche</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-13 062416-1768310799259.jpg">We talked to Brian Lazar of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center about staying safe and what other factors go into avalanche danger</p><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hBfX8wgfPHg" start="0"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p>

Avalanche Danger Continues Out West

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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<h1><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202513">COURTESY: NCEI <strong><span>Assessing the U.S. Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in 2025</span></strong></a></h1><h2><strong>Annual Key Points:</strong></h2><ul><li><p>For the first time since 2015, no hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. or its territories during 2025.</p></li><li><p>The tornado in Enderlin, North Dakota, was the first verified EF-5 since 2013.</p></li><li><p>The Eaton and Palisades Fires were the second- and third-most destructive California wildfires on record, respectively.</p></li><li><p>The Texas Hill Country experienced a 1-in-100- to 1-in-1,000-year flood event that killed at least 135 people after nearly two feet of rain fell in just a few days.</p></li><li><p>Utah and Nevada set new annual temperature records, with Utah eclipsing its previous record that had stood since 1934.</p></li></ul><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/Notable-Weathe-Climate-US-132025_Final_2.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing locations of notable weather and climate events in 2025 with text describing each event and title at top stating “Notable Weather and Climate Events: 2025”. " title="Map of the U.S. showing locations of notable weather and climate events in 2025 with text describing each event and title at top stating “Notable Weather and Climate Events: 2025”. ">Map of the U.S. notable weather and climate events in 2025.</em></p><h2><strong>Other Highlights:</strong></h2><h3><strong>Temperature</strong></h3><p>Annual temperatures across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) averaged 54.6°F in 2025, which was 2.6°F above the 20th-century average and ranked as the fourth-warmest year in the 131-year record. Temperatures were above average nationwide, with the most pronounced warmth across the western third of the country. Averaged across the entire region from the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/reference-maps/rockies-and-westward"><u>West Coast through the Rocky Mountains</u></a>, this area recorded its warmest annual temperature on record.</p><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/grid-ranks-tavg-202501-202512_0.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing temperature percentiles for 2025 with warmer areas in gradients of red and cooler areas in gradients of blue. (Courtesy of NOAA NCEI.)" title="Map of the U.S. showing temperature percentiles for 2025 with warmer areas in gradients of red and cooler areas in gradients of blue. (Courtesy of NOAA NCEI.)"></em></p><p><em>Map of the U.S. Mean Temperature Percentiles in 2025.</em></p><p>Based on average annual temperatures across <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/reference-maps/"><u>NOAA climate regions</u></a>, the Southwest saw its warmest year on record; the West and Northwest both ranked third warmest, and the South tied for its fourth-warmest year. Statewide, Utah and Nevada recorded their warmest years on record at 4.3°F and 3.7°F above their 20th-century averages, respectively. In total, a dozen states experienced one of their four warmest years. At the county level, 62 counties across 10 states—more than eight million people—recorded their warmest year on record.</p><p>Annual temperatures in Alaska averaged 29.5°F, 3.5°F above the 1925–2000 average, ranking as the ninth warmest in the 101-year record. Much-above-average temperatures persisted through most of the year, producing the third-warmest January–November statewide, though a notably cold December lowered the annual ranking.</p><p>Hawaiʻi recorded an average annual temperature of 67.0°F, 0.7°F above the 1991–2020 average, placing the year within the warmest third of the 35-year record.</p><h3><strong>Precipitation&nbsp;</strong></h3><p>The CONUS received an average of 29.19 inches of precipitation in 2025, 0.73 inch below the 20th-century average, placing the year in the driest third of the 131-year record. The annual average does not fully reflect some of the pronounced regional wet and dry patterns seen throughout the year: the western U.S. experienced drier-than-average conditions in the first half of the year, followed by wetter-than-average conditions late in the year, while central and eastern regions generally saw above-average precipitation in spring and early summer, then below-average totals in the fall.&nbsp;</p><p><em><img src="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/grid-ranks-prcp-202501-202512_0.png" alt="Map of the U.S. showing precipitation percentiles for 2025 with wetter areas in gradients of green and drier areas in gradients of brown. (Courtesy of NOAA NCEI)" title="Map of the U.S. showing precipitation percentiles for 2025 with wetter areas in gradients of green and drier areas in gradients of brown. (Courtesy of NOAA NCEI)"></em></p><p><em>Map of the U.S. Total Precipitation Percentiles in 2025.</em></p><p>Much of the Southwest and Southeast ended the year below average, with deficits exceeding one foot in parts of the Southeast, while the central and northern Plains, along with the western Ohio Valley, were wetter than average. Kentucky had its 10th-wettest year on record, with over a third of its counties receiving more than a foot above their average annual rainfall.</p><p>Alaska received 39.72 inches of precipitation in 2025, 3.02 inches above average, placing the year within the wettest third of the 101-year record. Hawaiʻi recorded a total of 41.96 inches, 19.77 inches below average for the state, or about 68 percent of normal (1991–2020), marking its third-driest year in the 35-year record.</p><h3><strong>Tropical Cyclones</strong></h3><p>Despite the lack of U.S. landfalls in 2025, the North Atlantic hurricane season was active, producing 13 named storms, including five hurricanes and four major hurricanes; this amount was near the long-term average. The season was particularly notable for three Category 5 hurricanes—Erin, Humberto and Melissa—the second-most to form in a single year. While Erin and Humberto remained offshore, Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica at peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph—tying with the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane as the strongest landfall on record in the Atlantic Basin and ranking as the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2025. Although no direct landfalls occurred, remnants of tropical systems—including Super Typhoon Halong (Alaska) and Hurricane Priscilla (Southwest)—brought flooding impacts to the U.S. late in the year.</p><h3><strong>Floods</strong></h3><p>2025 was characterized by widespread and significant flooding, driven by a combination of atmospheric rivers, slow-moving convective systems and tropical moisture. Significant flood events were observed in every season and region; July alone recorded 1,434 flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service—the second-highest July total in 40 years. Several historic precipitation events overwhelmed infrastructure, producing 1-in-1,000-year rainfall recurrence intervals in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas. These events resulted in significant loss of life; catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country in July resulted in at least 135 fatalities, while recurring storms in the Ohio Valley and severe weather across the South contributed to dozens of additional fatalities throughout the year.</p><p>The year featured stark regional extremes, beginning and ending with strong atmospheric rivers that impacted the West Coast; notable events in February, November and December caused widespread damage and fatalities in California and the Pacific Northwest. In the interior, stalled spring fronts produced historic rainfall across the Lower Ohio Valley, while summer saw a shift to the Northeast, where record-breaking rainfall rates inundated the New York City metro area. Unique hydrological extremes also marked the year, including a record-breaking glacial outburst flood in Alaska, tsunami-induced flooding in Hawaiʻi and deadly flash floods over wildfire burn scars in New Mexico.</p><h3><strong>Tornadoes</strong></h3><p>The preliminary U.S. tornado count for 2025 was 1,559, ranking as the fifth-highest on record and 127 percent of the 30-year (1991–2020) average. The year was marked by several notable extremes, including 300 preliminary tornado reports in March—a new March record—more than three times average. In addition to the Enderlin EF-5 tornado, five EF-4 tornadoes occurred in Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois and Kentucky. At the state level, North Dakota shattered its previous annual tornado record of 61 (set in 2010), with 72 tornado reports in 2025.</p><h3><strong>Wildfires</strong></h3><p>The number of wildfires in 2025 was approximately 105 percent of the 20-year (2001–20) average, with more than 72,000 wildfires reported. The total number of acres burned from these wildfires—5.0 million acres—was 72 percent of the 20-year average of nearly seven million acres.</p><p>Southern California experienced some of the year’s most destructive fires. Fueled by Santa Ana winds gusting up to 90 miles per hour and dry conditions, the Eaton Fire burned 14,000 acres, while the Palisades Fire burned more than 23,000 acres and was the most destructive wildfire on record for Los Angeles. Together, these fires damaged or destroyed over 18,000 structures during January and were responsible for 31 fatalities. Later in the year, the Gifford Fire became the largest wildfire for California in 2025, burning over 131,000 acres across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties in August.</p><p>In Arizona, the Dragon Bravo Fire burned more than 145,000 acres between July and September, making it the largest wildfire of the year in the U.S. and the 10th-largest in Arizona history.</p><p>Alaska had a below-average 2025 wildfire season, with approximately one million acres burned—about two-thirds of the state’s 20-year (2001–20) average.</p><h3><strong>Drought</strong></h3><p>The drought footprint across the CONUS experienced marked fluctuations during 2025, following a distinct pattern of spring expansion, early summer contraction and autumn resurgence. The year began with 38.1 percent of the lower 48 states in moderate to exceptional drought (D1–D4). Coverage expanded steadily through March, reaching a spring peak of 44.7 percent on March 25. Widespread precipitation then drove a substantial decline, with drought coverage falling to its annual minimum of 29.6 percent by June 3. However, this improvement was short-lived. Drought conditions intensified during late summer and autumn, with coverage increasing rapidly to a yearly maximum of 46.1 percent on October 21 and again on November 18. By the final week of the year (December 30), drought coverage had eased slightly but remained elevated at 42.8 percent, leaving a larger portion of the country in drought than at the start of 2025.</p><h3><strong>Snowfall</strong></h3><p>The 2024–25 snow season featured above-average snowfall across parts of the mountainous West, central Plains, Gulf Coast, Southeast and Ohio Valley, while below-average snowfall occurred across much of the Great Basin, southern Rockies, northern Plains, Upper Midwest and portions of the Northeast.</p><p>The 2025–26 snowfall season to date (October 1–December 31, 2025) saw above-average snowfall across much of the Midwest and Great Lakes region, with lake-effect areas receiving more than a foot above average for this period. In contrast, much of the Mountain West and High Plains received lower-than-average snowfall, particularly the Cascades, Wasatch and Uinta and the northern and southern Rockies, with the exception of the Sierra Nevada and parts of the northern Cascades, Bitterroots and middle Rockies.&nbsp;<br></p>

Year in Review: 2025 4th Warmest on Record

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<p>Most of the lower 48 has been missing out on a lot of Winter. Areas along the West Coast and Great Lakes have had an active Winter, but other than them, many along or east of the Rockies have been quiet so far. Not Alaska.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 100656-1767805655200.png"></p><p>Heavy snowfall towards the end of 2025 was enough to sink boats around Juneau. By the end of the month, the airport in Juneau had measured more snow than any December prior, and it wasn't even close! Over 80 inches of snow fell throughout the month, with multiple daily records sprinkled in.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 100846-1767805743282.png"></p><p>We spoke with the National Weather Service office in Juneau, Alaska to learn more about this historic snowfall.</p><p>UPDATE: January 11th, 2026</p><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3FsdYGphtqE" start="0"></iframe></div><div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zhaLChRQkac" start="0"></iframe></div><p></p><p>Since 2026 has rolled around, it has only kept snowing. Areas from Anchorage to Haines have picked up close to 20 more inches of snow. Not to mention it's been coming in with limited visibility with some blizzard conditions. Another system moving in threatens to bring warmer temperatures along with additional precipitation.</p><p><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot 2026-01-07 101334-1767806446476.png">Residents have been asked to clear any clogged storm drain nearby, with officials giving the okay to dump "clean" snow into nearby bodies of water. The weight of the snow has caved in roofs in addition to sinking boats in local harbors.</p><h1>WHY ARE WARM TEMPERATURES BAD</h1><p>You would think a nice thawing out would help ease problems in Alaska but it could actually cause more harm. If temperatures warm enough to end the week, rain falling on top of snow will help rapidly melt the pack. Then, everything is running off, not just the rain. This could lead to significant flooding in the area.</p><p></p><p></p><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-12 07-37-04-1768228685920.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Record Snowfall Sinking Boats in Alaska

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Check out our Top 5 videos of the week...with a bonus 6th video as we are very thankful for all you share with us each week!

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Thanksgiving Week Top 5

Record Warmth in Store For the West

The Warmth continues across the west. A ridge

Arctic Air Blasts The South This Week

A deep trough of low pressure will help Arcti

Snow and Rain From the Great Lakes to the South

A trough of low pressure will dive south, wit

Colorado Snowpack Hits Record Low for Mid-January

COLORADO - As of January 13, 2026, the season

Avalanche Danger Continues Out West

You wouldn't think we had enough snow in the

Year in Review: 2025 4th Warmest on Record

COURTESY: NCEI Assessing the U.S. Temperature

Record Snowfall Sinking Boats in Alaska

Most of the lower 48 has been missing out on