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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The Pacific has been active thus far, and things continue to crank. We have an area of low pressure offshore of the coast of Central America with a high chance of tropical development this week, and as of Monday afternoon, we have Tropical Storm Henriette.<h1>Henriette</h1>Tropical Storm Henriette has formed in the Pacific with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. We can see some strengthening over the next few days. This system is moving west/northwest at 15 mph.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/henriettelee-1754341252838.png">We will keep our eyes on Hawaii for any impacts in the coming week. As of now, Henriette is forecast to strengthen some before weakening and staying to the east of Hawaii by Saturday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/henriettee 2-1754341265154.png">Up next on the list will be IVO.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/ibvooo-1754341275984.png">

Henriette Forms in The Pacific

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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Air Quality Alerts are in effect across a broad swath of the Upper Midwest, northeast, and northern New England, impacting many Americans as thick smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the region. The worst of the air quality is found in the Great Lakes. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144613-1754340411917.png">A new wave of wildfire smoke is drifting southward from multiple blazes burning across the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba. These fires have been active throughout the summer, and this is not the first time their smoke has reached the U.S. This latest plume began sweeping into the Upper Midwest last Thursday and still lingers this week.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/fda-1754335948249.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/smokeysee-1754335958812.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, and the Northeast is in the "unhealthy" category. The "unhealthy" designation on the AQI scale indicates that the air quality is poor and may pose health risks, especially for sensitive groups. Here's a look at the air quality as of Monday afternoon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144441-1754340419536.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144452-1754340426367.png">People with preexisting conditions such as asthma or heart disease are especially vulnerable. Health officials recommend staying indoors, limiting physical activity, and using air purifiers if available.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-01 053220-1754047973977.jpg">Conditions will gradually improve by Saturday as wind patterns shift and help disperse the smoke. Tune into WeatherNation TV for more details.

Alana Cameron

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Triggers U.S. Air Quality Alerts

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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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High pressure is expected to strengthen over the coming week, bringing back extreme heat for many around the desert southwest. Heat Alerts (above) have already been added for the late end of the week. Heat risk impacts are already under major and extreme categories for Wednesday across Arizona.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144756-1754340481500.png">Temperatures are expected to hit over 110° by Wednesday. In many cases, temperatures will keep climbing through Friday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144746-1754340494488.png">Temperatures will either get dangerously close to breaking record highs on Thursday or are expected to break records for the day. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 071509-1754313323020.jpg">Phoenix, AZ, broke the record high temperature on Saturday, hitting 114°. There will be a few days this week when more records are at risk in Phoenix.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 071444-1754313291632.jpg">There is a higher confidence through early August that temperatures will remain above average for the region.<h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-03 161257-1754259198069.png"></h1>

Searing Heat Builds in the Southwest

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Kevin Schneider

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Strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere. This time of year, storms are easy to come by around the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, but strong jet stream energy is going to try to organize them. We saw how well it can organize storms last week, with a tornado-warned storm dropping baseball-sized hail in Cheyenne, and softballs in Kansas Sunday night.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1952391580163207320" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1952391580163207320"></div><h1> Upper Level Set-Up</h1>Severe storms will remain in the forecast as the jet stream energy remains elevated around the strong ridge of high pressure in Arizona. As storms fire up around the Rockies, the jet stream energy will help organize storms and carry them to the east into the Plains, where they'll be able to strengthen.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Web 1-1754309526598.png"><h1>Severe Weather Outlooks</h1>Isolated severe storms will remain in the forecast this afternoon and Tuesday as a new low-pressure system is moving out of the Northern Rockies.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144913-1754340566526.png"><h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144938-1754340599104.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 144934-1754340583942.png"></h1><h1>Forecast Timing</h1>Expect storms to peak with daytime heating. This afternoon, with a low-pressure system to the north, we can see more storms develop along it. As the low pushes north, more storms will develop again on Tuesday, with some storms sticking around for your morning commute.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-04 08-31-11-1754310725731.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

Another Stormy Stretch Along the Front Range

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After getting off to a record fast start with named systems, the Atlantic Basin has been largely quiet over the past month, but things are changing. We have two areas of interest we are watching, and as of Sunday night, we have Dexter. Tropical Storm Dexter has formed in the Atlantic. Current maximum sustained winds are 45 mph, and this system is currently moving NE at 14 mph. Dexter is forecast to move away from the U.S. coast.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 070922-1754312972669.jpg"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 071024-1754313031841.jpg">Wave heights can be impacted by this system. We can see some offshore waves between 5-10 feet. There's a seperate area of low pressure that could break off and spin towards the coast late this week. The chances of development are still low at this point.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 071310-1754313203404.jpg">Late Saturday evening, the National Hurricane Center highlighted a new area to watch! A tropical wave will move off the coast of Africa in the next day or two, and there will be a window for tropical development by the middle and end of next week!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-03 184919-1754268563096.png">

Tropical Storm Dexter Forms In The Atlantic

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After a week of relentless heat, a frontal boundary has cut into high pressure across the South, dropping temperatures but also spurring rounds of heavy rain. Flooding is likely for some areas across the South into the work week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-03 065121-1754225716471.png"><h1>Forecast</h1>As the stalled front sits near the I-10 corridor, rounds of storms are expected to pop-up on either side of the front for the next few afternoons, with the heaviest rain beginning to shift north by Tuesday. Pockets of 5-8" of rain could accumulate in some areas, likely leading to flooding and/or flash flooding. Seek higher ground if a flash flood warning is issued.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/08-04 rse-1754333473284.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Flood watches remain in effect into Tuesday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 074652-1754315221139.png"><h1>Cooler Air</h1>A wedge front is also following the storms across the Southeast, leading to below-average temperatures from the Carolinas to the west. This bottles up the cool air east of the Appalachians.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-04 074936-1754315384441.png">Most areas in Florida will not feel the cool down, expected for areas in the Panhandle dealing with heavy rain.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-03 155943-1754258388029.png">Tune into the eastern regional forecast :10 past the hour for more details.

Front Stalls - Heavy Downpours Target the Southeast

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Cooler air has arrived! Well, for much of the northern tier of the country, cooler air has arrived. The same front that dropped temperatures up north is pushing south into this weekend. After many were sweating out much of July, August is getting off to a better start<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-02 051442-1754133321766.jpg">Newark had just as many days at 100 than they did below average for the month. A cold front that produced strong storms has dropped temperatures AND humidity significantly for much of the northern half of the country (east of the Rockies anyway). Highs are expected to hang out around average for most over the next week.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot 2025-08-02 051659-1754133432716.jpg">The air behind the front is not only cooler, it's drier too! Compared to dew point temperatures in the 70s, this will give the cooler weather a much more comfortable feel. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/08/sodry-1754105193784.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>The August temperature outlook looks to warm back up across most of the country, so unfortunately, this early taste of fall doesn't appear to be a sign of the trend for the first two weeks of August.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/07/1-1754017630022.png">Stay with WeatherNation for the latest.

Relief Across the Country After Cold Front Passes Through

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The threat for severe weather continues into Saturday and Sunday for parts of the south and southeast.

On Saturday, scattered strong to severe storms are likely in two areas -- from the Gulf coast to the southern Appalachians and also for parts of the High Plains.

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107162" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/05/day-1-728x408.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="408" />

The biggest threats with these storms will be damaging wind gusts and large hail, but tornadoes can not be ruled out with any of these storms.

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107165" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/05/instablility-728x408.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="408" /> <img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107166" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/05/moisture-728x408.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="408" />

On Sunday, the threat becomes more isolated and will be more focused across the southeastern US.

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107163" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/05/day-2-728x408.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="408" />

There's also a threat for pop up severe weather across parts of the High Plains from Texas up through Iowa.

As we head into the new workweek, there will be numerous days with the threat of strong to severe storms, and stay informed with us right here on <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WeatherNation.</a>

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107164" src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2019/05/day-3-728x408.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="408" />

For WeatherNation, I'm <a href="https://media.weathernationtv.com/team/meredith-garofalo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meteorologist Meredith Garofalo</a>

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Weekend Severe Weather Risk

Henriette Forms in The Pacific

The Pacific has been active thus far, and thi

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Triggers U.S. Air Quality Alerts

Air Quality Alerts are in effect across a bro

Searing Heat Builds in the Southwest

High pressure is expected to strengthen over

Another Stormy Stretch Along the Front Range

Strong winds in the upper levels of the atmos

Tropical Storm Dexter Forms In The Atlantic

After getting off to a record fast start with

Front Stalls - Heavy Downpours Target the Southeast

After a week of relentless heat, a frontal bo

Relief Across the Country After Cold Front Passes Through

Cooler air has arrived! Well, for much of the