Month: June 2020

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,…