Month: June 2020

BEIJING — Authorities in southwestern China’s Sichuan province say at least 12 people have died and 10 are missing following heavy rains, adding to a grow toll from summer flooding across the country. Sichuan’s Mianning county was battered by storms on Friday and Saturday, with flooding especially bad in Yihai township, the county government reported. Two vehicles plunged into a river along a flood-damaged highway, and 7,705 people were evacuated in the area. The area…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Raleigh, N.C. — Southern parts of the Triangle are under a level 2 threat for severe weather, while northern areas are under a level 1 risk. Rain began pummeling Chapel Hill as storms popped up around the Triangle around 5 p.m. Damaging winds and heavy downpours are the main threat with these storms, as a cold front passes across North Carolina. The threat for damaging winds is possible for central…

By JULHAS ALAM, Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh — With the monsoon setting in and waters from India rushing downstream, Bangladesh is facing a serious threat of floods that could cause extensive damage to farmlands across the delta nation’s vast northern regions, officials said Sunday. The country’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said water levels in many rivers were continuing to rise, posing threats to flood protection embankments that could burst, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Raleigh, N.C. — It’s been a hot, typical summer weekend. You may not feel it, but a not-so-cool cold front is moving in, which will cause us to have a Level 1 and 2 threat for severe weather on Sunday. Some rain to cool us off is likely coming on Sunday to start the week off. Sunday morning will be dry, but then around 4 p.m. there will likely be a…

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist Scattered thunderstorms and showers are moving across the Triangle Thursday afternoon, said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. A Level 1 risk for severe storms is in place this afternoon. Areas in central North Carolina will likely see pop-up thunderstorms with heavy rain throughout the night. At around noon, Hillsborough and Henderson saw heavy rain. Henderson even had reported lightning. Many communities will be affected by the storms rolling in, so it’s…

MEXICO CITY — The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that rocked the southern Mexico resort of Huatulco killed at least seven people, damaged hundreds of homes and four archaeological sites and temporarily cut power to more than 2.4 million people, authorities said Wednesday. The quake that struck at 10:29 a.m. (11:20 a.m. Eastern) Tuesday also caused a brief fire at an oil refinery in the Pacific coast city of Salina Cruz. Oaxaca Gov. Alejandro Murat said Wednesday…

BEIJING — China has issued a warning for mudslides and flooding across a wide swath of south, central and eastern China, with heavy rain set to strike the area into Thursday. The National Meteorological Center raised the threat level on Wednesday to yellow, its third highest, with thunderstorms and strong winds also forecast. The provinces of Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Anhui and Zhejiang and the far southern region of Guangxi that have already suffered flooding…

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Dolly formed Tuesday over the northern Atlantic Ocean but was expected to dissipate later in the week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph (75 kph) but weakening is expected during the next day or two as Dolly moves over colder waters, the Hurricane Center said. The storm is expected to become a post-tropical storm Wednesday and then dissipate by early Thursday, forecasters…

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist Severe weather will be possible across central North Carolina late Tuesday afternoon and evening. WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said the entire viewing area is under a level 1 risk for severe weather, with storms expected to move in no earlier than 4 or 5 p.m. Damaging winds and heavy rain are possible. The first half of Tuesday will be mostly dry, with temperatures reaching 82 degrees by 10 a.m. The…

BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia has introduced emergency measures in several municipalities after heavy rains in the past few days caused widespread damage as rivers overflowed, authorities said Tuesday. Surging rivers led to around 700 houses being flooded in western and central Serbia, according to state RTS television. Some 70 families in the western town of Ljubovija have been forced to evacuate their homes. Local official Milan Kovacevic described the situation in the town as “dramatic”…

BEIJING — Flooding and mudslides in southern China have killed at least three people and forced evacuations for thousands of people, official media reported Tuesday. China’s national observatory issued a high alert for rainstorms across vast stretches of the country for the next 24 hours. Floods and mudslides began impacting villages and towns in the southwestern Guizhou province on Monday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. It put the number of dead at three and evacuations at…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Rainy, gloomy skies aren’t going away yet. Scattered thunderstorms and showers are causing flood warnings in multiple counties across North Carolina. Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, Robeson and many other counties were under a flood warning. Caswell, Cumberland, Hoke, Sampson and many others were under flash flood watches or warnings. Here is a full list of flood-related watches and warnings. Flooding is still a threat in communities along the Tar River,…

Sampson County, N.C. — Officials are asking residents to avoid traveling through Sampson County, particularly in Newton Grove due to flash flooding. In the past 24-hours, Sampson County has seen over 11 inches over rain. Crews in boats were conducting water rescues early Saturday morning on US Highway 701 near Parkside Grill and in the Luke Hobbs Farm and Whit Road area. A flood warning is issued in Sampson County for the rest of Saturday….

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist River levels were already high in northeastern North Carolina which made for perfect conditions for flooding this week. WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said it usually takes 15 to 20 inches of rain to see the kind of flooding the northeastern part of the state has seen this week, but because of the already saturated ground, it only took 7 to 10 inches to cause dangerous, flash flooding. Here are all…

We’ve had our share of extreme weather events here in North Carolina, especially when it comes to hurricanes. Globally, we’ve seen some of the hottest and wettest years on record happen in the last 10 years. So, what’s behind it all? “So there’s weather and there’s climate, which is our changing weather over time. But we’re in this complicated place right now where a changing climate is really affecting our weather,” said Bernadette Woods Placky,…

NASH COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — An area near Rocky Mount is facing flooding concerns after recent rains swelled the Tar River causing it to overflow into surrounding developments. As of Wednesday night, multiple roads in downtown Nashville are currently closed due to flooding. Firefighters estimate five to six inches fell between Tuesday and Wednesday causing 45 to 50 people to evacuate their homes while waters rose. “There are other roads that are flooded that are…

Nashville, N.C. — Many roads are washed out and trees are down blocking roads in Granville, Nash and Vance counties, making for hazardous driving conditions. Rocky Mount officials said nine people were rescued from their home on Wednesday because of flooding around their house. The heaviest rainfall and flooding was concentrated Wednesday in the north and east quadrant of North Carolina, with showers continuing into the evening. By 10 p.m., all showers should be gone,…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Rain chances will start to back off in the Triangle on Wednesday and Thursday while other areas could see downpours and isolated flooding. Rain showers, which could be heavy at times, are likely across central North Carolina on Wednesday, but counties northeast of the Triangle are most at risk for flooding. Person, Granville, Franklin, Nash, Vance and Warren counties were under a flash flood warning until 12:15 p.m. Those counties…

NASH COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — A couple in Nash County was rescued Wednesday morning when their vehicle was swept off the road into the woods. Photos posted by the Nash County Sheriff’s Office showed crews walking someone to safety on a road with water ponding on each side. The rescue happened near Seven Paths Road close to Spring Hope. Only six inches of the car’s roof was visible when the rescue was made, according to…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Rain chances will start to back off in the Triangle on Wednesday and Thursday while other areas could see downpours and isolated flooding. Rain showers, which could be heavy at times, are likely across central North Carolina on Wednesday, but counties northeast of the Triangle are most at risk for flooding. Franklin, Nash, Vance and Warren counties were under a flash flood warning until 8:45 a.m. Track rain with the…