By the numbers: 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season was third busiest on record

By the numbers: 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season was third busiest on record

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist Tuesday marks the final day of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The forecast at the beginning of the season was that it would be more active than normal – and it ended up being our third most active season on record. “It started off strong and ended up with a whimper,” said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. We didn’t see any storms in October or November, so it may seem like…

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Active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends

Active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends

November 30, 2021 Flooding in Baltimore from Hurricane Ida (Photo: WJZ) NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — The active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially concludes Tuesday having produced 21 named storms, including seven hurricanes of which four were major hurricanes. “NOAA provided the science and services necessary to protect life and property before, during and after storms all season long,” said NOAA Administrator, Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “From essential observations to advanced warnings to critical response actions, NOAA…

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North Carolina Forest Service issues statewide burn ban as wildfire on Pilot Mountain continues

North Carolina Forest Service issues statewide burn ban as wildfire on Pilot Mountain continues

It comes after a days-long fight to contain a massive wildfire on Pilot Mountain in addition to a dry autumn season across the Carolinas. PILOT MOUNTAIN, N.C. — The North Carolina Forest Service issued a statewide burn ban as of 5 p.m. Monday due to hazardous forest fire conditions. With the increased fire danger, N.C. Forest Service issued a ban on all open burning and all burning permits have been canceled statewide until further notice. …

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Over 200 acres of Pilot Mountain burned from wildfire

Over 200 acres of Pilot Mountain burned from wildfire

By WXII Pilot Mountain, N.C. — A wildfire on Pilot Mountain has burned over 200 acres as of Sunday night. The fire started around 5:15 p.m. on Saturday near the Grindstone Trail, according to NBC affiliate WXII. Fire officials said Pilot Mountain State Park would be closed Sunday, and likely the rest of the week, because of the wildfire. Firefighters are currently in “defensive operations” because of strong winds, reports WXII. A campground near the…

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Remembering Raleigh: Weekend marks anniversary of historic, deadly 1988 tornado

Remembering Raleigh: Weekend marks anniversary of historic, deadly 1988 tornado

By Heather Leah, WRAL multiplatform producer If you lived in Raleigh in November of 1988, you remember the tornado. The Kmart was flattened. Asbury United Methodist Church was destroyed. Some locals still remember crouching in their bathtubs while the walls shook around them. I was only five years old. I remember walking outside that evening, pointing at the clouds and saying to my mom, “They look weird. They look scary.” I didn’t know it meant…

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Winter rain floods Gaza homes damaged in last spring's war

Winter rain floods Gaza homes damaged in last spring's war

By FARES AKRAM, Associated Press BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip — The first rainstorm of winter sent water pouring into Ghalia al-Attar’s house through cracks in the walls and tin roof, as the widow, her children and grandchildren spread buckets across the floor. Their home was among tens of thousands that were damaged during the 11-day Gaza war in May between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the isolated and impoverished territory. Hundreds…

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Carolina Hurricanes give away 1,000 turkeys to local organizations

Carolina Hurricanes give away 1,000 turkeys to local organizations

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Just in time for Turkey Day, the Carolina Hurricanes are giving away turkeys to those in need. “This is the busiest day of the year for us. It’s like our Super Bowl,” said Nick Robertson from Urban Ministries. A more apt comparison might be the Stanley Cup Finals, since the Carolina Hurricanes were making the Wednesday morning deliveries. “We are very fortunate. With our friends at Harris Teeter, we are able…

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NOAA's hurricane hunter team getting new aircraft

NOAA's hurricane hunter team getting new aircraft

The agency’s been trying to get a new aircraft since 2019. The last two hurricane seasons have seen more storms than normal. LAKELAND, Fla — The Florida-based hurricane hunter team is getting a new aircraft to help chase fierce storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s team will add a Gulfstream 550 to the three other aircraft at its home base at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in central Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The…

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NC State dorm floods after accidental sprinkler activation, over 400 students forced out

NC State dorm floods after accidental sprinkler activation, over 400 students forced out

By Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Flooding in Metcalf Residence Hall at North Carolina State University is forcing hundreds of students out of their dorms Monday night. University officials told WRAL News a student accidentally activated the sprinkler, injuring that student and forcing more than 400 other students to find somewhere else to stay. This chaotic scene forced students to wait hours to get inside and retrieve their belongings. Some students told WRAL…

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Hundreds of students forced out of NC State residence hall after flooding

Hundreds of students forced out of NC State residence hall after flooding

By Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Flooding in Metcalf Residence Hall at North Carolina State University is forcing hundreds of students out of their dorms Monday night. The cause of the flooding is believed to be a sprinkler that activated on the 11th floor. Students are being evacuated and cannot stay in the building Monday night. Many students say they have been waiting more than four hours to go inside and gather their…

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Louisiana launches $11M housing program for Hurricane Laura

Louisiana launches $11M housing program for Hurricane Laura

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Nearly 15 months after Hurricane Laura struck, Louisiana is kicking off $11.3 million in housing repair and rebuilding programs for the southwestern city of Lake Charles while it waits for hundreds of millions in promised federal aid to arrive. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, and Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, a Republican, announced the plans at a joint press conference Monday. The effort will be financed with federal housing…

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Canadian province sets gas, travel restrictions after floods

Canadian province sets gas, travel restrictions after floods

By JIM MORRIS, Associated Press VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The British Columbia government announced Friday it is limiting the amount of fuel people can purchase at gas stations in some parts of the province and is restricting non-essential travel as highways begin to reopen following torrential rains that caused floods and mudslides. Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said non-essential vehicles will be limited to about 8 gallons (30 liters) per trip to the gas…

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Wildfires torched up to a fifth of all giant sequoia trees

Wildfires torched up to a fifth of all giant sequoia trees

By BRIAN MELLEY, Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Lightning-sparked wildfires killed thousands of giant sequoias this year, leading to a staggering two-year death toll that accounts for up to nearly a fifth of Earth’s largest trees, officials said Friday. Fires in Sequoia National Park and surrounding Sequoia National Forest tore through more than a third of groves in California and torched an estimated 2,261 to 3,637 sequoias, which are the largest trees by volume. Nearby…

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Analysis: 2022 primary elections in Texas merit a severe weather alert

Analysis: 2022 primary elections in Texas merit a severe weather alert

Editor’s note: If you’d like an email notice whenever we publish Ross Ramsey’s column, click here. If you would like to listen to the column, just click on the play button below. The first day of early voting in next year’s party primaries is also the anniversary of the polar vortex that froze most of Texas and crashed the state’s electric grid. You remember that week, whether you were in Texas living through it or…

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15 years since deadly tornado ripped through Riegelwood community

15 years since deadly tornado ripped through Riegelwood community

With winds reaching up 200 mph, the tornado traveled for seven miles, killing eight and injuring 21 others. November 16, 2021 Damage left behind from Riegelwood tornado in 2006. (Photo: WWAY) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of the deadly tornado that swept through Columbus County. A F-3 tornado struck the Riegelwood community around 6:30 a.m. when many people were still asleep. Several homes were tossed off their foundation and others…

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Multiple homes damaged by large Pineville apartment fire

Multiple homes damaged by large Pineville apartment fire

PINEVILLE, N.C. — Firefighters are on the scene of a large apartment fire in Pineville after multiple homes were destroyed early Monday, officials said.  Pineville Fire Department officials said the fire started sometime around midnight Sunday night at an apartment complex on Plum Creek Lane, just off Johnston Road. A two-story building was destroyed by the flames.  One woman told WCNC Charlotte she was asleep when she woke up to firefighters banging on her door…

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A lookback at the deadly Carolina flooding of Nov. 12, 2020

A lookback at the deadly Carolina flooding of Nov. 12, 2020

One year ago, North Carolina and South Carolina experienced historic flooding that claimed 6 lives and led to water rescues across numerous counties. The impact and damage were so severe North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency. The flooding was seen in rural and metro communities alike – including Charlotte and Greensboro. It took days for a swollen Catawba River to return to its banks. It left many, including WCNC Charlotte’s owned seasoned…

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One year ago, devastating Carolina flooding claimed 5 lives

One year ago, devastating Carolina flooding claimed 5 lives

One year ago, North Carolina and South Carolina experienced historic flooding that claimed 6 lives and led to water rescues across numerous counties. The impact and damage were so severe North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency. The flooding was seen in rural and metro communities alike – including Charlotte and Greensboro. It took days for a swollen Catawba River to return to its banks. It left many, including WCNC Charlotte’s owned seasoned…

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Wake Forest police investigating after homes damaged by gunfire

Wake Forest police investigating after homes damaged by gunfire

Wake Forest, N.C. — Wake Forest police say two homes in town were recently damaged from gunshots and they’re looking for those responsible. The homes, which aren’t believed to be the targets of the shooters, were in the Del Webb at Traditions neighborhood. Wake Forest Police Chief Jeff Leonard said the homes were damaged by stray bullets. No one was injured. Police believe the homes may have been shot at by people hunting or shooting during target practice….

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Is Texas ready for the next big wildfire?

Is Texas ready for the next big wildfire?

The highlight of the day…a prescribed burn. After a brief test fire, the landscape is ignited and crews spring into action. Trainees range from experienced firefighters to those experiencing their first fire. Kari Hines with the Forest Service helped to coordinate the training event. She explained exactly what the prescribed burn does for the land. “Fire historically got rid of what we call ladder fuels and that those are the things lower limbs, small bushes…

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New research detects hurricane history hidden in tree rings

New research detects hurricane history hidden in tree rings

By Zachary Turner, Coastal Review Online Whiteville, N.C. — Dr. Justin T. Maxwell is an associate professor of geography at Indiana University, where he researches paleoclimatology, the study of the Earth’s past climates. Most recently, he explored the historical relationship between longleaf pines and tropical cyclone precipitation. Maxwell reconstructed North Carolina and South Carolina seasonal extreme rainfall totals as far back as 1700 by sampling tree rings from the Carolinas’ coastal plains. In a rare…

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Weather IQ: The facts about flash flooding

Weather IQ: The facts about flash flooding

Flooding can happen any time of the year, and it’s the deadliest severe weather event in the Carolinas. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Flooding is the deadliest weather threat to the Carolinas and is the most common of all weather-related natural disasters that happen in all 50 states. Let’s learn more about floods in this week’s Weather IQ. Flooding has no season and can happen any time of year with Flash Flooding being the most deadly. For instance,…

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Wildfire hits rugged, remote area of North Carolina

Wildfire hits rugged, remote area of North Carolina

Fire at the southern tip of Sauratown Mountain in November 2021. (Photo: NC Forestry District Center via WFMY) WINSTON-SALEM, NC (AP) — State and local firefighters are trying to get control of a wildfire in a rugged and remote area of North Carolina, officials said. Dakota Paris, a forester for the N.C. Forest Service, said the fire at the southern tip of Sauratown Mountain started sometime early Tuesday morning, The Winston-Salem Journal reported. It’s not…

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Weather IQ: Flash Flooding Facts

Weather IQ: Flash Flooding Facts

Flash Flooding is the deadliest weather event in the Carolinas. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Flooding is the deadliest weather threat to the Carolinas and is the most common of all weather-related natural disasters that happens in all 50 states. Let’s learn more about floods in this weeks Weather IQ. Flooding has no season and can happen anytime of year with Flash Flooding being the most deadly. For instance, some of the worst flooding in recent years…

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Frightened campers trapped on Hatteras Island as flooding, winds close highway

Frightened campers trapped on Hatteras Island as flooding, winds close highway

By Ken Smith, WRAL anchor/reporter It’s been a scary scene in parts of the Outer Banks these past few days. Extreme high tides and flooding shut down transportation, trapping a number of campers who were on Hatteras Island. Images from the flooding show waves crashing against homes, vehicles pushing through floodwaters and even a toppled dune. Ferries were canceled due to high winds, and Highway 12, the only north-south route on the Outer Banks, was…

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Texas A&M Forest Service provides tips to help prevent wildfires in hunting season

Texas A&M Forest Service provides tips to help prevent wildfires in hunting season

Texas A&M Forest Service encourages Texans to protect our lands and all that we love this hunting season by being mindful of activities that may cause a wildfire.  Lucas Ninno/Getty Images Texas A&M Forest Service is asking folks to protect Texas lands this hunting season by being mindful of activities that may cause a wildfire. From 2016 to 2020, the agency chartered by the Texas Legislature responded to 3,742 wildfires burning nearly 1.5 million acres. During…

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The 'hurricane season' for sunspots is about to begin. Meaning more auroras

The 'hurricane season' for sunspots is about to begin. Meaning more auroras

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist Now that hurricane season is winding down, a different storm season is ramping up. Originating 93 million miles away from Earth, solar storms — produced by the sun — have both stunning and potentially dangerous effects here on Earth. “The sun provides us with life, with heat and light. But periodically is emits a blast of radiation that affects us here on earth and it can occur in different forms….

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‘King Tide’ leads to record-breaking tides & flooding along the Cape Fear coast

‘King Tide’ leads to record-breaking tides & flooding along the Cape Fear coast

(Photo: Matthew Huddleston / WWAY) CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear experiences King Tides every year when the moon is closest to the earth, causing an increase in tide levels. But the Wilmington National Weather Service says this year’s King Tide was elevated thanks to the right ingredients coming together. “At the same time as we had these King Tides, we had this non-tropical low form right off our coast,” Victoria Oliva with…

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Freeman Park, portion of north end of Carolina Beach closed due to tidal flooding

Freeman Park, portion of north end of Carolina Beach closed due to tidal flooding

Flooding near Carl Winner Ave. in Carolina Beach on Nov. 8, 2021. (Photo: WWAY) CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A portion of the north end of Carolina Beach will remain closed Monday due to the ongoing tidal flooding and rough beach conditions. The town posted online Monday morning saying Freeman Park is closed until further notice. – Advertisement – Already had to move the car twice from land that went from dry to covered in…

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Dune collapses, roads and ferries close as flooding, high winds impact NC coast

Dune collapses, roads and ferries close as flooding, high winds impact NC coast

By Donny Bowers, WRAL photojournalist & Heather Leah, WRAL multiplatform producer A storm system along the coast has been bringing rain, flooding and gusting winds to North Carolina this weekend. While the Triangle avoided most of the rain and storm’s impacts, the coast was a different story. Winds of up to 35 mph and flooding caused difficulties for visitors and residents of the Outer Banks. The storm’s impacts caused road closures and cancelation of ferries…

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Significant coastal flooding, gusty winds expected along the Carolina coast

Significant coastal flooding, gusty winds expected along the Carolina coast

A strong coastal storm is setting up this weekend creating heavy rain, gusty winds, and major flooding. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A strong coastal storm is setting up across the Deep South this weekend.  The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, gusty wind, and coastal flooding from Charleston all the way to the Outer Banks. This will include the flooding of roadways and structures in low-lying areas. 9:10am here at Edisto Beach, SC, water is starting…

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New Braunfels man dealing with cancer, job loss still reeling from October flood damage

New Braunfels man dealing with cancer, job loss still reeling from October flood damage

Donnie Long owns a trailer that got caught up in the flooding overnight along the Guadalupe River the night of October 13. SAN ANTONIO — A New Braunfels family is in need of help after their trailer was severely damaged in the October floods Donnie Long owns a trailer that got caught up in the flooding overnight along the Guadalupe River the night of October 13. The heavy rains were the remnants of Hurricane Pamela,…

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Floods in Indonesia kill at least 6, mud hampers relief work

Floods in Indonesia kill at least 6, mud hampers relief work

By AGUS BASUKI, Associated Press KOTA BATU, Indonesia — Flash floods from torrential rains on Indonesia’s main island of Java killed at least six people and three others were missing, officials said Friday. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said rivers on the slopes of Mount Arjuno overflowed their banks on Thursday and their muddy waters inundated five hamlets in Kota Batu, a city in East Java province. It said 15 people were swept away and…

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Columbus County man sentenced to life for murder of man found during Hurricane Florence

Columbus County man sentenced to life for murder of man found during Hurricane Florence

William Dewayne Simmons (Photo: Columbus Co. Sheriff’s Office) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Three years after the body of a missing man was found floating in a ditch near the Bladen and Columbus County line, the man responsible for shooting and killing him will spend life in prison. According to the district attorney’s office, a jury found William Simmons guilty of First-Degree Murder and Robbery with a Firearm. Superior Court Judge James Hardin then sentenced…

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Heavy rains trigger flash floods in Indonesia; 11 missing

Heavy rains trigger flash floods in Indonesia; 11 missing

By The Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia — Torrential rains triggered flash floods on Indonesia’s main island of Java on Thursday that left at least 11 people missing, officials said. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said rivers on the slopes of Mount Arjuno overflowed their banks and inundated five hamlets in Kota Batu, a city in East Java province. It said 15 people were swept away and four were later rescued. The agency chief, Ganip Warsito,…

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31 October tornadoes in Oklahoma breaks monthly record

Nov. 2, 2021Updated: Nov. 2, 2021 2:32 p.m. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A total of 31 tornadoes last month was a record-high for October in Oklahoma dating to 1950, according to the National Weather Service. The previous high for October, the fifth most active month for tornadoes, was 27 in 1998, according to weather service records. Those records show that March-June are the four most active months for twisters in Oklahoma. “It’s unusual, not quite as…

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Buccaneers Race Past Hurricanes To Win Season Opener

Buccaneers Race Past Hurricanes To Win Season Opener

“You want to try to win as many games as you can,” the Buccaneers’ head coach said following a season-opening 91-68 home victory over the Hurricanes at the Kruse Center in Brenham. “I was just glad we were able to get a win, and everybody was able to play.”  Blinn built a comfortable lead early and Schumacher was able to empty his bench. The Bucs led 36-16 with 7:06 left in the first half.  “Everybody needs to…

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Subtropical storm Wanda forms, last on list of storm names for this season

Subtropical storm Wanda forms, last on list of storm names for this season

By The New York Times, New York Times For the second time in two years, and only the third time in history, meteorologists have exhausted the list of names used to identify storms during the Atlantic hurricane season. With the formation of Subtropical Storm Wanda on Saturday, there have been 21 named storms so far this year, starting with Tropical Storm Ana in May. If more storms form, the National Weather Service will move on…

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