Month: October 2020

By Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer 2020 just won’t quit. Hurricane season doesn’t end until November 30, which means we have one more month of storms left. The next system brewing in the western Caribbean has a 90% chance of development in the next 2 to 5 days. If the system forms, it will be named “Eta.” Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek Alphabet, which is what weather forecasters use after all the…

The end of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is finally near, but there is a chance another storm could form early next week. The next named storm, Eta, could develop in the western Caribbean. There is a 40% chance a tropical depression will develop in the next two days and an 80% chance it will develop in the next five days. While current models show no impact to the United States, meteorologists say Eta is…

By WRAL Severe Weather team Raleigh, N.C. — The worst of the winds from Zeta have passed, but the risk for severe weather isn’t over. A second, separate system moves through NC tonight, bringing the risk for severe storms. Damaging thunderstorm winds and an isolated tornado will be possible after 9 p.m. Zeta’s remnants downed trees, power lines Thursday morning and afternoon At around noon, wind gusts over 50 mph were reported in both Raleigh and Durham. In the…

6 Images WRAL Weather Watchers: Purple fog 38 Images Protests erupt in streets of Philadelphia after Black man shot, killed by police 40 Images Football: North Raleigh Christian vs. Wake Christian (Oct. 23, 2020) 44 Images Football: Wake Christian vs. Trinity Christian (Oct. 15, 2020) 23 Images NC sees high turn out, long lines during early voting 73 Images Your Photos: Fall foliage across NC 23 Images Green Hope holds volleyball workouts with COVID-19 safety…

RALEIGH, N.C. — Hurricane Zeta slammed into storm-weary Louisiana on Wednesday with New Orleans squarely in its path, pelting homes and businesses with rain and howling winds, knocking out power to thousands and threatening to push up to 9 feet of sea water inland in a Gulf Coast region already pounded by multiple storms this year. Roads were flooded near the coast, where forecasters said Zeta made landfall around Terrebone Bay near Cocodrie, an unincorporated…

By KEVIN McGILL, STACEY PLAISANCE and REBECCA SANTANA NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Zeta slammed into storm-weary Louisiana on Wednesday with New Orleans squarely in its path, threatening to push up to 9 feet of sea water inland and batter homes and businesses with fierce winds in a Gulf Coast region already pounded by multiple storms this year. Some roads were flooded near the coast, where forecasters said Zeta was making landfall around Terrebone Bay near…

RALEIGH, N.C. — Hurricane Zeta made landfall along the Louisiana coast as a Category 2 storm on Wednesday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced at 4 p.m. that the storm made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana bringing “hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surges” along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. As of 4 p.m., the storm has maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour and is moving north-northeast at 24 miles per hour, according to…

RALEIGH, N.C. — As expected, Zeta restrengthened overnight and is back at Category 1 hurricane status as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Zeta is forecast to bring life-threatening storm surge and strong winds to the coastlines of Louisiana and Mississippi, an area already hit hard by tropical systems this year. The storm could intensify to a Category 2 before making landfall in Louisiana. According to the National Hurricane Center, Zeta has maximum sustained winds of…

Raleigh, N.C. — Parts of central North Carolina will be under a level 1 risk for severe weather on Thursday as the remnants from Zeta pass through the area. Temperatures will be warmer this week before tropical moisture and a chance for severe weather from Zeta approaches. Highs will be in the mid to upper 70s on Wednesday with partly cloudy skies. By Wednesday afternoon, skies will become gray as remnants from Zeta approach North…

Raleigh, N.C. — Parts of central North Carolina will be under a level 1 risk for severe weather on Thursday as the remnants from Zeta pass through the area. Temperatures will be warmer this week before tropical moisture and a chance for severe weather from Zeta approaches. Highs will be in the mid to upper 70s on Wednesday with partly cloudy skies. By Wednesday afternoon, skies will become gray as remnants from Zeta approach North…

RALEIGH, N.C. — Zeta weakened back into a tropical storm overnight as it moved over the Yucatán Peninsula, but the system is expected to restrengthen before hitting the U.S. According to the National Hurricane Center, Zeta has maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, and it is moving northwest at 14 miles per hour. As of 11 a.m. EST, it’s 25 miles north-northeast of Progreso, Mexico. Working over land has weakened Zeta, but it…

RALEIGH, N.C. — Zeta weakened back into a tropical storm overnight as it moved over the Yucatán Peninsula. According to the National Hurricane Center, Zeta has maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, and it is moving northwest at 14 miles per hour. As of 5 a.m., it’s 85 miles east-southeast of Progreso, Mexico. Working over land has weakened Zeta, but it is expected to strengthen back to Hurricane level as it heads toward…

Hurricane Zeta, the 27th named storm in a very busy Atlantic season, made landfall on the Caribbean coast of the eastern Yucatan Peninsula late Monday while whipping the resorts around Tulum with rain and wind.

By GABRIEL ALCOCER, Associated Press CANCUN, Mexico — Zeta strengthened to a hurricane Monday afternoon as it continued on a track for Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula resorts and then likely move on for a possible landfall on the central U.S. Gulf Coast at midweek. Zeta — the earliest ever 27th named storm of the Atlantic season — was centered about 105 miles (170 kilometers) southeast of Cozumel island Monday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said….

RALEIGH, N.C. — Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Monday as it moves through the Caribbean Sea and into the Gulf of Mexico. According to the National Hurricane Center, Zeta is currently located about 210 miles southeast of Cozumel. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, and it is moving northwest at 9 miles per hour. Zeta is forecast to move over the Yucatan Peninsula on Monday–likely…

Tropical Storm Zeta formed overnight, becoming the 27th named storm of this hurricane season. The track currently has Zeta moving into the Gulf. The system will weaken as it migrates into the region but is still expected to produce rounds of potentially heavy rain through Thursday. It will either hit as a weak hurricane or a strong tropical storm. ABC11 First Alert Meteorologist Steve Stewart said Zeta’s formation now ties a 2005 record for 27…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist; Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer As if 2020 couldn’t get any crazier, we will likely break the record for the most named storms in an active Atlantic hurricane season this year. Tropical Storm Zeta formed early Sunday morning in the Gulf of Mexico, being the the 27th named storm this season tying a previous record from 2005. Models predict that the storm could make landfall twice — once in the…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist; Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer As if 2020 couldn’t get any crazier, we will likely break the record for the most named storms in an active Atlantic hurricane season this year. Tropical Storm Zeta formed early Sunday morning in the Gulf of Mexico, being the the 27th named storm this seas tying a previous record from 2005. Models predict that the storm could make landfall in the United States and…

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist; Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer As if 2020 couldn’t get any crazier, we will likely break the record for the most named storms in an active Atlantic hurricane season this year. Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center reported Tropical Depression No. 28 formed in the Caribbean Sea. There have been 26 named storms this season. Hurricane season doesn’t end until Nov. 30, so we will probably see more named storms…

By PATTY NIEBERG, Associated Press/Report for America DENVER — Orange skies, winds gusting up to 70 mph, smoke tornadoes and hazardous air. While it could be an apocalyptic scene out of a movie, it has become the reality of Colorado’s wildfire season. The blazes have burned the second-most acreage since 2000 and included the state’s two largest on record. One of Colorado’s smaller fires exploded late Wednesday from 30 square miles (78 square kilometers) to…