Bad weather is back in the US forecast as April begins

After a brief break, severe weather is returning to the forecast as April begins — mainly across the central U.S., with severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding downpours all possible.

"Heavy thunderstorms this week may bring hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flooding rain from the Plains to the Great Lakes, disrupting travel and outdoor plans into Easter weekend," saidAccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski in an online forecast.

At the same time, freezing rain and snow will bring a wintry feel to the far northern tier of the U.S. over the next few days.

Warmer days and blossoming flowers are signs that spring — which officially began on March 20 — is upon us. See stunning photos of scenes from spring 2026.

The Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia Impetiginosa) springs to life at the Hibiscus Fountain in Palm Beach, Fla., March 5, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Light rain gathers on a car window parked near Scituate Light which is reflected in the raindrops on the windshield in in Scituate, Mass., March 16, 2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mist rises pond at Lakes Park, Fla., on March 24, 2026.

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See the beauty of spring in these stunning photos from across the US

Warmer days and blossoming flowers are signs thatspring— which officially began on March 20 — is upon us. See stunning photos of scenes from spring 2026.The Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia Impetiginosa) springs to life at the Hibiscus Fountain in Palm Beach, Fla., March 5, 2026.

Stationary front to blame

On Tuesday, March 31, a front extended from the Northeast across the Great Lakes, Central Plains, Northern Rockies, and Northern California, which will remain nearly stationary with waves of low pressure running along the boundary through Thursday, April 2,NOAA's Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said in an online forecast.

"Tuesday's storms may bring large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes, with the greatest concentration from southern Michigan to northeast Illinois, the northern parts of Indiana and Ohio,"AccuWeathermeteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Centerhas issued a slight risk (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms for parts of the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley through Wednesday morning, April 1.

"The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes," theWPC said.

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Freezing rain and snow to the north

"Moreover, rain/freezing rain will develop from parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley/Upper Great Lakes into parts of the Northeast on Tuesday [March 31],"the WPC said. "In addition, light snow will develop over northern Maine and over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley and Northern Plains."

By Wednesday, April 1, there will be patches of rain and freezing rain from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes, and a second area of rain and freezing rain over parts of the Northeast. Light snow will develop over parts of the Northern and Central Plains and the Upper Mississippi Valley on Wednesday, April 1.

Wet, stormy Wednesday for millions, forecast says

On Wednesday, April 1, the severe weather threat is forecast to shift south and consolidate over the Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley,AccuWeather said. Severe weather is anticipated from central Texas through central and southeastern Kansas into southwestern and central Missouri.

Farther to the east, heavy thunderstorms will drench portions of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic region Wednesday, April 1. "Along with downpours that can slow travel, some storms may produce winds strong enough to break tree branches and send trash cans and recycling bins flying," Sosnowski said.

Thursday's severe weather risk returns to Midwest

According toAccuWeather, the risk of severe weather will continue across parts of the Mississippi Valley and Plains on Thursday, April 2, and Friday, April 3, with Thursday's storms capable of producing strong wind gusts and hail from northern Arkansas to southern Michigan.

How much rain will fall? Will it help the drought?

A general 1-4 inches of rain is forecast from Texas and the north-central Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and central Appalachians, with locally higher amounts of up to 6 inches possible,Sosnowski said. "While not all of the rain will fall at once, multiple rounds of disruptive rainfall are likely."

"In drought-stricken areas, repeated rainfall may bring some relief and reduce the risk of spring wildfires."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Severe weather is back in the US forecast as April 2026 begins

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March 31, 2026

Bad weather is back in the US forecast as April begins

After a brief break, severe weather is returning to the forecast as April begins — mainly across the central U.S., with s...

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US journalist kidnapped in Baghdad and security forces hunt captors, Iraqi officials say

BAGHDAD (AP) — An American journalist was kidnapped Tuesday inBaghdadand Iraqi security forces are pursuing her captors, Iraqi officials said.

The journalist was identified as freelancer Shelly Kittleson by one of the outlets she worked for.

The Iraqi interior ministry said in a statement that a foreign journalist had been kidnapped, without giving more details about the person's identity.

Two Iraqi security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said the kidnapped journalist was a woman with U.S. citizenship.

They said that two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed and was apprehended while being pursued by authorities near the town of Al-Haswa in Babil province southwest of Baghdad, and the journalist was transferred to a second car that fled the scene.

The interior ministry said that security forces had launched an operation to track down the kidnappers, "acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations" after intercepting a vehicle belonging to the kidnappers that overturned as they tried to flee.

One suspect was arrested and one of the vehicles used in the kidnapping was seized, but others remain on the loose, the statement said.

The two security sources said the journalist was kidnapped from central Baghdad, on Saadoun Street. They added that an alert was circulated to all checkpoints, leading to a pursuit of the kidnappers as they headed southwest of Baghdad toward Babil province.

Al-Monitor, a regional news site covering the Middle East, identified the journalist kidnapped Tuesday in Baghdad as Kittleson, a freelancer who contributed to the publication. In a statement, Al-Monitor said it is "deeply alarmed" by her kidnapping.

"We call for her safe and immediate release," the statement said. "We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work."

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Kittleson has been a longtime freelancer in the region, reporting extensively from Syria and Iraq.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad declined to comment.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement, "The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans" and that it is "tracking these reports."

"Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time," the statement said.

It was not immediately clear if the kidnapping was related to the ongoing regional war, but Iran-backed militias in Iraq have launched regular attacks on U.S. facilities in the country since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Since the start of the war, the U.S. embassy has warned of kidnapping risks and urged citizens in the country to leave.

Iraqi militias had also kidnapped foreigners before the war.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, disappeared in Baghdad in 2023. After she was freed and handed over to U.S. authorities in September 2025, she said that she had been held by the Iran-allied Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah.

The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.

Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Stella Martany in Irbil, Iraq, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.

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March 31, 2026

US journalist kidnapped in Baghdad and security forces hunt captors, Iraqi officials say

BAGHDAD (AP) — An American journalist was kidnapped Tuesday inBaghdadand Iraqi security forces are pursuing her captors, ...

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Doc Rivers, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Amar'e Stoudemire reportedly to be inducted to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The inductees to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 include the NBA's Doc Rivers and Amar'e Stoudemire and WNBA legends Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday.

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The official announcement is set for Saturday, April 4 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with enshrinement weekend taking place over Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15, 2026.

This breaking news story will be updated.

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March 31, 2026

Doc Rivers, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Amar'e Stoudemire reportedly to be inducted to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The inductees to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 include the NBA's Doc Rivers and Amar'e Stoud...

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Michelle Wie West to compete at U.S. Women's Open

Michelle Wie West announced Tuesday that she is willing to give it another go at the upcoming U.S. Women's Open.

Wie West, 36, is a five-time winner on the LPGA Tour, including a victory at the 2014 U.S. Women's Open.

She last competed on the LPGA Tour at the 2023 U.S. Women's Open, however she announced in February that she was coming out of retirement to compete in the women's version of the tech-unfused indoor golf league that was created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

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"With one final year of eligibility from my victory in 2014 and the championship headed to an iconic venue that means so much to me, I am excited to announce that I'll be teeing it up at the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera in June," she wrote on X.

The 2026 U.S. Women's Open will be contested from June 4-7 in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Wie West also finished second at the Women's PGA Championship (2005) and Chevron Championship (2014) and twice tied for third at the Women's British Open (2005, 2017).

--Field Level Media

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March 31, 2026

Michelle Wie West to compete at U.S. Women's Open

Michelle Wie West announced Tuesday that she is willing to give it another go at the upcoming U.S. Women's Open. ...

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Here's a look at birthright citizenship, and how the world sees it, as Supreme Court case looms

The Supreme Court isonce againhearing arguments on whetherPresident Donald Trumpcandeny citizenshipto children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily.

Supreme Court Religious Speech

The Wednesday case stems from an executive order Trump signed on the first day of his second term ending what's known as birthright citizenship, which guarantees citizenship to nearly everyone born on U.S. soil.

While the concept has been part of U.S. law for well over a century, it is relatively rare around the world.

What is birthright citizenship?

Birthright citizenship is based on the legal principle of jus soli, or "right of soil."

In the U.S., the right was enshrined in the Constitution after the Civil War, in part to ensure that former slaves would be citizens.

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States," the 14th Amendment states.

In the late 1800s,birthright citizenship was legally expandedto the children of immigrants.

Wong Kim Ark, who was born in the U.S. to Chinese parents, sued after traveling overseas and being denied reentry into the U.S. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that the amendment gives citizenship to everyone born in the U.S., no matter their parents' legal status.

Today there are only a handful of birthright exceptions, such as for children born in the U.S. to foreign diplomats.

How is birthright citizenship seen around the world?

Only about three dozen countries, nearly all of them in the Americas, guarantee citizenship to children born on their territory.

Most countries follow the principle of jus sanguinis, or "right of blood," with a child's citizenship based on the citizenship of their parents, no matter where they are born.

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None of the 27 member states of the European Union, for example, grant automatic, unconditional citizenship to children born on their territories to foreign citizens. The situation is similar across much of Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Some countries take a mixed approach

Some countries use a combination of principles, such as parenthood, residency and ethnicity, to decide a child's citizenship.

Australia, for example, allowed birthright citizenship until 1986. But starting that August, children born there could only become citizens if at least one parent was an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.

Things shifted the other way in Germany, which changed its citizenship laws in 2024.

Until then, citizenship by birth required that at least one parent was German. Starting in 2024, though, children born in Germany to non-German parents are automatically granted German citizenship if one parent has been legally living in the country for more than five years with unlimited residency status.

Citizenship laws were liberalized because "studies have shown that the education prospects of children and teenagers with a migration background are better, the sooner they were granted German citizenship," the government wrote at the time.

What is the Trump administration's argument?

Supporters of birthright restrictions in the U.S. focus on a handful of words in the constitutional amendment: "subject to the jurisdiction thereof."

That phrase, they argue, means the U.S. can deny citizenship to children born to women who are in the country illegally.

A series of judges have ruled against the administration and the order has been repeatedly put on hold bylowercourts.

Wednesday's case originated inNew Hampshire, where a U.S. district judge ruled the order "likely violates" both the Constitution and federal law.

AP reporter Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this story from Berlin.

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March 31, 2026

Here's a look at birthright citizenship, and how the world sees it, as Supreme Court case looms

The Supreme Court isonce againhearing arguments on whetherPresident Donald Trumpcandeny citizenshipto children born to pa...

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The top 10 Fantasy Basketball performances of the 2025-26 Season

As the fantasy basketball season winds down, let's spotlight the top 10 single-game performances in Yahoo's High Score format. Since only your best stat line each week counts, these games likely swung entire matchups. Here are the players who delivered the biggest stat lines through March 30 of the 2025-26 season.

My colleague Ben Zweiman has done an amazing job of keeping track of all the best performances of the week, so I owe him a drink for making my life easier here.

1. Bam Adebayo— 110 High Score points

Adebayo scored 83!! points against the Wizards on Mar 10 — the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100. He went 36-of-43 from the free-throw line (an NBA record), threw in a career-best 7 3s and the Heat ran a 57.5% usage rate through him all night. The 83 points alone drag this line to all-time territory. The 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks just pile on.

It will likely go down as one of the most random, unexpected outlier performances in NBA history.

2. Nikola Jokić— 108 High Score points

The Joker held the crown of the highest fantasy outing of the year until Mar 10 rolled around. His Christmas Day masterpiece against Minnesota was built on a gaudy 56-16-15 with 2 blocks. Of the players in the top 10 in fantasy scoring this season, this game featured the fewest stocks at 2. But that's the thing about Jokić — the stocks aren't as vital when you post modern-day Wilt Chamberlain numbers on a humble Christmas night. I've never rostered Jokić in all my years playing fantasy, but I would love to look at a box score, just one time and see numbers on the board likethis.

3. Cade Cunningham— 101 High Score points

The only player not named Adebayo or Jokić to crack 100 High Score points this season was Cunningham. Cunningham's 46-12-11 triple-double looked like a great fantasy night on its own, but it was his 7 stocks (5 steals and 2 blocks) that boosted his score another 21 points, helping him clear that 100-fantasy-point threshold. If he didn't suffer a lung injury, he'd surely be in NBA MVP conversations and he was naturally one of the best fantasy contributors of the 2025-26 campaign.

4. Luka Dončič— 99 High Score points

One point away from the 100-point club. Luka destroyed the Jazz on Dec 18, posting a balanced 45 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists and 5 steals. In the month of March, Dončič is making a strong case to earn his first MVP award,averaging 37-8-7 with 2 steals per game and leading the Lakers to a 14-2 record through Monday.

5. Jalen Johnson— 98 High Score points

Johnson came into the season too good to be a Most Improved Player; however, he still made a seismic leap into stardom. His ascension allowed the Hawks to pivot away from their franchise PG, Trae Young, because he was so impactful as a point-forward. Johnson is tied with Josh Giddey for the most triple-doubles this season (13), and his dominance on Nov 13 factored into one of those 13. Johnson had 31-18-14 with an impressive 7 steals. It's the two-way versatility and playmaking that morphed him into a first-round value this year.

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Playing the Jazz also helps :)

6. Tyrese Maxey— 95 High Score points

Another player who's elevated to the fantasy elite is Maxey. He hung 54 points on the Bucks, along with 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 stocks. Maxey's defense has been a game-changer for his fantasy value, and seeing his peak at nearly 100 points was great, as he provided one of the highest yet consistent floors in High Score. He's been a top-five asset across formats, but in High Score, he was a top-five guy, averaging 54.8 fantasy points per night.

7. Nikola Jokić— 94 High Score points

Again, more Wilt numbers that have pretty much become normalized as just another day at the office for Nikola Jokic. The Warriors frontcourt posed no threat to Jokić on Feb. 22, where he amassed 35-20-12 with 5 stocks. Not quite his Christmas line, but still another dominant night from the best fantasy basketball player around.

8. Kawhi Leonard— 94 High Score points

The only top-10 entry with fewer than 5 assists, but Kawhi put on a scoring and defensive clinic, dropping an ethical and efficient 55 points with 11 boards, 2 assists and 8 stocks versus the Pistons. Putting up those numbers against the best team in the Eastern Conference says a lot about the type of season Leonard's had. I thought he'd be great for High Score because you only had to rely on him for one game out of the week. However, he was barely load-managed and sits at 13th in fantasy points per game in High Score.

9. Luka Dončič— 91 High Score points

It's the second time we've seen Luka on this list, with this one coming in the midst of one of the best months of his career. Dončič fell one assist shy of the triple-double but delivered a masterpiece against the Bulls on March 12, scoring 51 points along with 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.

Two 90-point fantasy performances in the same season? Feels like there are only a few players capable of that each year and Luka's one of 'em.

10. Nikola Jokić— 90 High Score points

When you're doing lists in fantasy basketball, the guy averaging a triple-double will be on it more than a couple of times. Jokić's third and final entry in the top 10 is nearly a mirror of his Feb. 22 line: 31 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a comeback win at San Antonio. Given the tight Western Conference standings and the Spurs' post-All-Star break run, this was a significant statement game in both reality and fantasy.

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March 31, 2026

The top 10 Fantasy Basketball performances of the 2025-26 Season

As the fantasy basketball season winds down, let's spotlight the top 10 single-game performances in Yahoo's High ...

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Boston's Joe Mazzulla has a strong case for Coach of the Year. Don't tell him that

The NBA has started the process of lining up voters for postseason awards, and if form holds from recent years the ballots will be due shortly after the end of the regular season.

Celtics Hawks Basketball

Some categories will be easier for those on the voting panel to fill out than others. Defensive Player of the Year might not take voters very long (spoiler alert, it'll be San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama) and Rookie of the Year is basically going to be a two-contender race (a Duke guy will win; it's TBD if it'll be Charlotte's Kon Knueppel or Dallas' Cooper Flagg).

Other races will be tougher. When talking MVP, for example, logical arguments can be made for Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver's Nikola Jokic, the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, Wembanyama, Boston's Jaylen Brown and probably a few others as well.

Another of those wide-open races? Coach of the Year.

There is no shortage of candidates. J.B. Bickerstaff is likely going to guide Detroit — a team that made headlines for losing streaks just two years ago — to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Mitch Johnson, in his first full season at the helm in San Antonio (he did coach 77 of the Spurs' 82 games last season, but technically, this is full season No. 1), will have the Spurs in the No. 1 or No. 2 spot on the Western Conference bracket. Quin Snyder in Atlanta, Charles Lee in Charlotte, Jordan Ott in Phoenix and Darko Rajakovic should, at minimum, get some consideration as well.

And then there's Boston's Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics played most of this season without Jayson Tatum and were expected by some to be a fall-back-to-the-pack team this season because of Tatum's injury and the departures of players like Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Oops. The Celtics are at 50 wins, again, and Mazzulla has done an admirable job.

He was asked before Boston's game on Monday about Coach of the Year, and specifically his place in that race. What happened next was ... well, probably not unexpected.

"I don't need it," Mazzulla said. "I think it's a stupid award."

It's probably now reasonable to think the Celtics won't be sending out any Coach of the Year pitches to voters on Mazzulla's behalf. Some teams do that; among the more memorable ones in recent years was Utah mailing out an actual album cover depicting then-Jazz center Rudy Gobert as a jazz artist (get it?) when hyping his Defensive Player of the Year chances.

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There will be some lobbying for awards. It has already started. Wembanyama stated his MVP case after a game in Miami last week, and Keldon Johnson is also being promoted by fellow Spurs players as a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner. (His main competition there figures to be Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr.)

And last week, the National Basketball Players Association was among those weighing in on the 65-game rule for award eligibility in most cases — noting the collapsed lung Detroit's Cade Cunningham suffered earlier this month could keep him from reaching the minimum number of games needed to be on the ballot for the All-NBA teams.

"We always knew when there's a line you draw that somebody's going to fall on the other side of that line," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last week. "It may feel unfair in that particular instance. Let's see what happens at the end of this year."

There's nothing wrong with teams lobbying for their guy, or guys, to win awards. There's also nothing wrong with Mazzulla making very clear that he's focused on far bigger things than individual honors.

"You shouldn't have it," Mazzulla said of the award. "And it's more about the players and it's more about the work that the staff puts in. It's just that simple. I really don't ever want to be asked or talked about it again. It's just that dumb. So, the players play, it's about them. Staff works their (butt) off. I'm grateful to have 'em."

The team awards are all that seem to really matter to Mazzulla. It won't stop people from voting for him, but it's a stance that should be respected.

Around The NBA analyzes the biggest topics in the NBA during the season.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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March 31, 2026

Boston's Joe Mazzulla has a strong case for Coach of the Year. Don't tell him that

The NBA has started the process of lining up voters for postseason awards, and if form holds from recent years the ballot...

Read More