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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A historic fall heatwave continues across the Southwest, with hundreds of record highs in jeopardy through the weekend. A strong, upper-level ridge of high pressure remains in control in the region, with a slight weakening of the ridge expected into next week. Phoenix has been on a ridiculous streak of breaking record highs. After warming up above 105°, Phoenix has unofficially broken another record for the 11th consecutive day. Not only that, Phoenix Friday morning only dropped to 81° which is a new record warm morning low.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 164800-1728082090978.jpg"><h1>Heat Alerts</h1>Ongoing excessive heat warnings will persist through the weekend for most areas. The foothills can see temps up to 105° and the deserts can reach up to 115°.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 164830-1728082133467.jpg"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 164844-1728082138239.jpg">For more details on the ongoing heatwave, catch your West Regional Forecast at :50 past every hour.

Alana Cameron

Historic Heat Continues Out West

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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.

Jesse Kelley

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While tropical activity in the Atlantic tends to trend down through October, impactful systems can and do occur during the final two months of hurricane season. For now, aside from the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tropical-trouble-returns-to-the-caribbean">region in the Gulf of Mexico</a>, impacts to the US are not expected.<h1>Atlantic Ocean</h1>For the region of potential development in the Gulf - <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tropical-trouble-returns-to-the-caribbean">click here</a>.<h2>Kirk &amp; Leslie</h2>Kirk became a hurricane on Tuesday, with winds up to 90 mph. As of Friday, Kirk has rapidly intensified and is currently a category 4, with sustained winds of 130 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 161347-1728080093827.jpg">Thankfully, this system is expected to do what many tropical waves have done this season in the MDR - Main Development Region, curving north into the middle of the Atlantic. Just to the east of Kirk is now Tropical Storm Leslie. Leslie is on the verge of becoming a hurricane and is likely to do so tonight or tomorrow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/1-1728077357958.png">This small system is forecast to strengthen to Category ONE, follow a similar path to Kirk, and currently, no impact land.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 161829-1728080323352.jpg"><h1>Pacific Ocean</h1>In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression 11 has now fallen apart over the country of Mexico. We are still monitoring a couple of areas of interest but both areas have a low to medium chance of development in the next seven days.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/1-1728077484388.png">

Tropical Update: Kirk & Leslie in the Central Altantic, Another Landfall in Mexico

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FLORIDA - A stalled frontal boundary across the Gulf of Mexico has been providing Floridians with consistent rain chances. Additional rounds of rain are expected for areas around the Gulf of Mexico through the weekend, as tropical moisture tries to get organized.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 061639-1728045189879.png">By the weekend, a broad low is expected to develop in the western Gulf, leading to additional showers in Texas and Louisiana. That low looks to gradually drift east through early next week, giving Florida rounds of heavy showers.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 120813-1728065316841.jpg"> The National Hurricane Center has been highlighting a broad trough across the western Caribbean to potentially develop into something worth watching in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend or next week. Models have been trending toward some low-end development, but it will depend on how much the low interacts with the approaching frontal system. Either way, tropical downpours are likely to create widespread heavy rain and flooding from Sunday onward, potentially through Thursday. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 120823-1728065321354.jpg">Scattered storms will be focused in the Central and Western Gulf into Saturday, with some intense downpours and strong storms possible for Florida's west coast and southern Texas. Storms shift back to the east Sunday through Midweek.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Baron 2-1728077614745.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The WPC (Weather Prediction Center) calls for hefty rain totals for much of Florida through next week. Widespread totals of 4-6" are expected, with isolated rainfall totals over 8-10" possible.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 161958-1728080430546.jpg"> This will likely lead to flooding, with the potential for isolated flash flooding highlighted Sunday through Tuesday. Additional flood outlooks with higher categories will be needed in the future.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-04 06-17-26-1728045255068.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Florida Rainfall and Next Gulf Area to Monitor

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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!

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IOWA - Strong storms moved through Iowa earlier this morning producing some large hail. The largest reports we've seen were in Pella, Iowa where golf-ball-sized hail moved through.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 115504-1728064765664.jpg">Another incoming cold front (above) will help to trigger the chance for some thunderstorms across the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes on Saturday. Rainfall elsewhere looks fairly minimal.The Storm Prediction Center has issued a MARGINAL (level 1 out of 5) risk for severe storms on Saturday across portions of Wisconsin and Michigan. The main threat will be hail and gusty winds into the evening hours.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 115335-1728064915984.jpg">Most of Saturday's storms look to happen by nightfall into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan because that is when the cold front will be moving through the region.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/10-04_rnc 12z sat-1728079553331.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The SPC has also issued a MARGINAL (level 1 out of 5) for severe storms Sunday from West Virginia to Lake Ontario.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Day1SVR-1728070409550.png">As the cold front passes the Great Lakes it may pick up on some moisture across the region and produce rainfall and storms starting in the afternoon through nightfall.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/10-04_rne_12z-1728079494444.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>As this cold front carries on moving east, temperatures are expected to drop closer to, and in some cities slightly below, seasonable for many of us for the upcoming weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 115352-1728064962731.jpg">

Fall Fronts Spark Hail and Wind Threat

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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BOISE, ID - A new fire east of Boise, Idaho started burning called the Valley Fire. This fire is located along Highway 21 near Highland Valley Summit (SE of Boise). The NWS encourages citizens to avoid the area while crews work on containment.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 165043-1728082250936.jpg">Over the past few days, many locations across the West have dealt with scorching temperatures. The heat has been relentless across the Southwest (related article: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/running-hot-for-the-first-week-of-fall">the southwest</a>), and the High Plains are heating up again after a brief cool down. High fire danger is imminent with these temperature fluctuations. Red Flag Warnings have been issued across much of the Northern Plains and parts of the Intermountain West. A Pacific cold front will move in Friday and Saturday that will kick the winds up ahead and behind the cold front.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 164923-1728082207230.jpg"> Wind alerts have also been issued for parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota for gusts up to 65 mph. Over the weekend, please be smart and avoid doing anything that could cause a spark.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-04 164947-1728082219314.jpg">Meanwhile, fires continue to burn across Southern California. The Line Fire, which was mostly contained a week ago, has begun to spread yet again with dry and hot conditions returning to the West Coast (see above).<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1841088213605102047" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1841088213605102047"></div>For more details on the heat and fire threat this week, catch your Regional Forecasts at :30 and :50 past every hour!

Fire Danger Continues Into The Weekend

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Tracey Anthony

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From being the strongest hurricane to make landfall on Florida's Big Bend Region, to causing unprecedented flooding in the Appalachians, Hurricane Helene will go down in History.Helene made landfall last Thursday as a Category 4 Hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph, just 10 miles WSW of Perry, FL. Record storm surge for Cedar Key, FL of over 10ft. The storm was still a category 2 hurricane as it moved into Georgia and continued to lift north on an 800-mile path. The destructive forecast for Helene verified as this tropical system dumped over 30" of rain over the Appalachians. The aftermath was described by the local national weather service office as "the worst event in our office's history."<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/LL_100124_TRT 2.56_WILL TALKS THROUGH DAMAGE IN ERWIN TN_WILL NUNLEY_BH_100124-1727874366194.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The water is receding uncovering washed-out roadways, debris from homes washed off their foundation and some people are still left stranded or unaccounted for. There is an imminent need for supplies and resources. Here are some of the latest updates on the recovery efforts from Government agencies to private citizens using their own personal/private helicopters to bring in food, water, supplies and medicine.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1841119251010052227" src="https://x.com/NCDOT/status/1841119251010052227"></div><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1841125041842311573" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1841125041842311573"></div><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1840730819725545643" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1840730819725545643"></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/830952819251897" data-width="500" src="https://www.facebook.com/reel/830952819251897" style="display: flex; justify-content: center"></div><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1841125088361361896" src="https://x.com/CoryMillsFL/status/1841125088361361896"></div><div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1840801657191334281" src="https://x.com/MyFWC/status/1840801657191334281"></div>For more details on the clean-up and recovery efforts on Helene please visit: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tn.gov/tema.html">https://www.tn.gov/tema.html</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management/hurricane-helene">https://www.ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management/hurricane-helene</a>

Search, Rescue and Supplies, the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

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Kevin Schneider

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Roads washed out. Whole towns were destroyed. Two feet of rain. This all occurred across parts of the southern Appalachians as Helene dissipated on Friday.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tropical-impacts-in-the-gulf-of-mexico#google_vignette">Related Article: Helene Makes Landfall as a Category 4 Hurricane</a>Water levels remain high in parts of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Please seek additional information, preferably from at least two sources, about evacuations, flood warnings, safety messages, and news alerts regarding this actively changing situation. Also, it's important to double-check information. On Friday, incorrect information was given regarding a catastrophic dam failure in Tennessee, when it didn't happen.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/1-1727549745032.png">Storm total rainfall has been as high as 30" across parts of North Carolina. It's important to note, this includes rain before Hurricane Helene arrived. The rainfall listed above is from Wednesday, September 25, and beyond. A separate weather system was already dumping heavy rain in North Carolina and nearby areas well before Helene arrived, which did not help the flooding situation at all.Rain will continue to fall through Tuesday across portions of the middle-Atlantic. While Helene moved quickly previously, the storm merged with an upper low, a slower-moving storm system, and has been moving much more sluggishly into central Appalachia through Virginia.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot 2024-10-01 071340-1727788502189.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot 2024-09-30 183749-1727743172557.jpg">Most of the rain will not be super heavy but any light to moderate rain in some of these saturated soils of the Appalachians will lead to more flooding!For perspective on the severity of this weather event, we look to one river in particular; the French Broad River near Asheville, North Carolina. At this river location, the French Broad reached 30 feet, which surpassed the previous record river level of 20 feet! Flooding is forecast to finally dissipate through the upcoming week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/09/french broad riverr-1727714355743.jpg">We will continue to recap Hurricane Helene and forecast any lingering impacts that may occur from the remnants of the storm this weekend.

Steve Glazier

Flooding Threat Continues as Leftover Helene Spins Towards the East Coast

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It's time to check out the WeatherNation Top 5 videos of the week of July 1!

https://youtu.be/NL8p8lAZ_lY

Watch the videos from <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/news/made-top-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last week's Top 5</a>!

For WeatherNation, I'm <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/meredith-garofalo/">Meteorologist Meredith Garofalo</a>