WeatherBug

If you’ve ever watched tornado coverage and wondered, “What are the odds that one actually hits my house?” you’re not alone. As a meteorologist, I get asked that question all the time. So instead of guessing, I decided to do the math. The answer surprised me. Most people assume Texas has the highest tornado risk because it averages about 130 tornadoes every year, more than any other state. And that’s true. But Texas is also enormous.

Driving through peak fall colors along M-22 in Northern Michigan, is to this day one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The only problem is, once you've seen it once, you have to see it again and planning a trip to see fall colors can be a gamble. if you picked a week in late October but colors peaked a weak prior, you just put of luck. Still, most popular leaf-peeping destinations have a some sort of reliable window when colors usually look their best.

Every fall, trees pull off one of nature’s best costume changes. In just a few weeks or even days, bright green summer trees turn vibrant shades of orange, red and yellow. But why do leaves change color in the fall? The short answer? It's how trees prepare for winter. Decreasing daylight tells the trees that it's time to stop putting energy into growing bigger and instead focus on storing energy for the coming cold. Why do green leaves change color?

You've probably seen the term "Super El Niño" floating around lately. Here's what it actually means, and how close this year's event is to earning it. What makes an El Niño "super"? It's not just a flashy name. Forecasters classify El Niño strength using something called the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), which tracks how much warmer than average the central Pacific Ocean gets. Once that index hits +2.0°C or higher, NOAA calls it a "very strong" event.

It's hard to believe, but we have had 0 hurricanes so far this 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. And that breaks a record in the satellite-era. Previously, the latest first hurricane to form on record was on September 11, with both Hurricane Gustav in 2002 and Hurricane Humberto in 2013. As we move through the peak of hurricane season, we have only recorded 5 tropical storms: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly and Edouard. Although we broke a record, it's not surprising.

It’s finally time. Break out the pumpkin spice, grab your favorite beanie and hit the road. Leaf-peeping season is here! This year’s fall colors are up against a few roadblocks. Drought is lingering in parts of the country, summer heat has been stubborn and a strengthening El Niño could worsen both of those later this fall. Colors are already beginning to turn for some, but early color does not always mean an early peak. So, who could see the best fall colors in 2026?

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is on the verge of making history, but probably not for the reason you’d expect. So far, the Atlantic has produced five tropical storms but zero hurricanes. If that continues for just a few more days, 2026 will set a new record for the latest first hurricane formation of the season in the satellite era. The Record to Beat The date to watch is September 11. Twice in the satellite era, the Atlantic’s first hurricane of the season did not form until September 11.

If you’re planning a fall color trip to New England, the Great Lakes or the Appalachians, you’ve probably already wondered whether El Niño could affect the view. The short answer is yes, but it won’t be working alone. El Niño can shift temperature and rainfall patterns across the country. Both matter for fall foliage, especially if the pattern brings unusually warm or dry weather. But here’s the catch: El Niño’s clearest impacts usually show up during winter and early spring.

Illinois has a new weather record, and this one is pretty incredible. A hailstone that fell near Kankakee, Illinois, on March 10, 2026, has officially been confirmed as the largest hailstone ever recorded in the state. The hailstone measured a whopping 6.603 inches across its largest axis, weighed 19.65 ounces or about 1.23 pounds, and had a volume of nearly 39 cubic inches.

It’s late summer. The sun has been blazing all day, and you and your kid have been dreading soccer practice. Then your phone buzzes. It’s a text from the coach. Practice is still on, even though the heat index is around 90 degrees. So what gives? Heat index is combines two things: air temperature and humidity. It can help you understand how hot it feels, but it does not tell the full story when it comes to outdoor sports. That’s where wet-bulb globe temperature, or WBGT, comes in.