North Carolina News

By NOAH BERGER and JOHN ANTCZAK, Associated Press THREE RIVERS, Calif. — Multiple forest fires on Thursday were threatening groves of gigantic sequoias in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains that are home to some of the world’s largest trees. Flames would likely reach the famous Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, where two fires have been burning since lightning ignited them on Sept. 9, according to a briefing for fire crews. It comes after a wildfire…

By SAM METZ, Associated Press/Report for America CARSON CITY, Nev. — When a wildfire crested the mountains near North America’s largest alpine lake, embers and ash that zipped across a smoky sky pierced Lake Tahoe’s clear blue waters. The evacuation order for thousands to flee their homes has been lifted, but those who returned have found black stripes of ash building up on the shoreline — a reminder that success fighting the Caldor Fire won’t…

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) — When Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina on Sept. 14, 2018, it was only the beginning of the destruction the storm would cause throughout the state. In the days and weeks that followed, flooding damaged an estimated 74,000 buildings throughout the state and led more than 140,000 residents to apply for disaster assistance, according to the final National Hurricane Center report. Three years later, flood victims still vividly remember…

We’ve already had 14 named storms, the average for an entire Atlantic hurricane season, even though there are still 77 days left. Hurricane Nicholas made landfall in Texas early Tuesday morning as the eighth landfalling storm for the United States. WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said, out of the 14 storms, five were hurricanes and three were major hurricanes. We are approaching the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2021 forecast for the Atlantic season, which predicted…

By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON — Tropical Storm Nicholas slowed to a crawl over the Houston area Tuesday after making landfall earlier as a hurricane, knocking out power to a half-million homes and businesses and dumping more than a foot (30.5 centimeters) of rain along the same area swamped by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Nicholas could potentially stall over storm-battered Louisiana and could bring life-threatening floods across the Deep South over the coming…

HOUSTON — Hurricane Nicholas made landfall along the Texas coast on Tuesday, bringing the threat of up to 20 inches of rainfall to parts of the Gulf Coast, including the same area hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and storm-battered Louisiana. Nicholas touched down on the eastern part of the Matagorda Peninsula, about 10 miles (17 kilometers) west southwest of Sargent Beach, Texas, with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 kph), according to the National…

MIAMI — Nicholas has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches Texas. The storm is likely to strike the same area hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and storm-battered Louisiana. Although the system is expected to generate only a fraction as much rain as Harvey, nearly all of the state’s coastline was under a tropical storm warning that included potential flash floods and urban flooding. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state has…

By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON — Tropical Storm Nicholas gathered strength Monday and threatened to blow ashore in Texas as a hurricane that could bring up to 20 inches of rain to parts of the Gulf Coast, including the same area hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and storm-battered Louisiana. Nearly all of the state’s coastline was under a tropical storm warning that included potential flash floods and urban flooding. Texas Gov. Greg…

By ARITZ PARRA, Associated Press MADRID — Firefighting crews near southern Spain’s Costa del Sol were hoping for much-needed rainfall Monday to help them extinguish a major wildfire that has ravaged 7,700 hectares (19,000 acres) in five days and forced the evacuations of 2,600 people. Authorities are describing the blaze in Sierra Bermeja, a mountain range in Malaga province, as an extreme “mega-fire” brought on by climate change — a catastrophic event that kill, blacken…

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Nicholas was moving up the Gulf Coast on Monday, threatening to bring heavy rain and floods to coastal areas of Texas, Mexico and storm-battered Louisiana. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Nicholas was strengthening, churning up top winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was traveling north-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph) on a forecast track to pass near the South Texas coast later Monday, then move onshore…

By The Associated Press MIAMI — Tropical Storm Nicholas headed toward the Texas coast Sunday night, threatening to bring heavy rain and floods to coastal areas of Texas, Mexico and storm-battered Louisiana. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said a hurricane watch was issued for the central portion of the Texas coast with much of the state’s coastline now under a tropical storm warning. Nicholas is expected to approach the middle Texas coast…

MIAMI — Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday that Tropical Storm Nicholas has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storm warnings were issued for coastal Texas and the northeast coast of Mexico. Nicholas is expected to produce storm total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches 13 to 25 centimeters), with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches, across portions of coastal Texas into southwest Louisiana on Sunday through midweek. Over the…

A disturbance in the Bay of Campeche officially became a named storm on Sunday morning. Tropical Storm Nicholas is near Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, and has potential to bring flooding and rain to Mexico and Texas. According to the National Hurricane Center, Nicholas will produce heavy rain across portions of southern Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. The heavy rain will continue to threaten those coastal areas through the middle of the upcoming…

By The Associated Press ROME — A tornado on a small Italian island in the Mediterranean Friday evening swept up several cars, killing two people and injuring several others, firefighters said. In a tweet, the firefighters said the twister struck on Pantelleria, which is south of Sicily, shortly before 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). “Utility poles bent over, roofs damaged and trees knocked down,” the firefighters said. The largely arid island is popular with vacationers. The…

By The Associated Press MADRID — A major wildfire in southeast Spain prevailed over firefighting efforts by 38 water-dropping aircraft on Friday and tore through an area of hilly woodland for a second day, with one official describing it as “a hungry monster.” The Andalusia region’s agency in charge of firefighting efforts, Infoca, ordered most crews working on the uneven terrain to withdraw late on Friday, leaving the work to aircraft dropping water. The agency…

The active tropics are evidence of the high point of hurricane season in the Atlantic. Show Transcript SHE WAS NOT FOUND FOR 10 HOURS. >> SO HEARTBREAKING. >>> WE ARE AT THE PEAK OF HURRICANE SEASON AND WHEN WE CHECK IN ON THE TROPICS, IT CERTAINLY SUPPORTS THE CASE. METEOROLOGIST ELIZABETH GARDNER HAS A TROPICAL UPDATE. >> IT IS BUSY RIGHT NOW BUT YESTERDAY WAS ALL ABOUT MINDY. MINDY WAS FEEDING THE MOISTURE IN AND…

By GERARDO CARRILLO and MARCO UGARTE, Associated Press TULA, Mexico — Two days after flooding claimed at least 14 lives north of Mexico’s capital, the streets of Tula remained submerged Thursday as full reservoirs upstream continued releasing more water. Mexican authorities say heavy rains in recent days in central Mexico filled the area’s reservoirs to their capacity forcing water releases that only added to woes downstream in places like Tula. Residents who could reach their…

By Rosalia Fodera, WRAL reporter Wake Forest, N.C. — One local fire department flew 20 hours in three days to help people in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida. Wake Forest fire crews answered the call for help hundreds of miles away after a devastating storm that left a trail of devastation from the deep south to the northeast. Firefighters know the call for help can come from places far and wide. In this case, the need…

Charlotte, N.C. — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping with the search for a man wanted in the murder of a Hurricane Ida evacuee in Charlotte and the murder of another man in Nashville. Malek Anthony Moore, 29, is wanted in the murder of Gabryelle Allnut in Charlotte’s NoDa community, according to NBC affiliate WCNC. Allnut was found unresponsive in a Charlotte art studio on Sept. 5 after traveling to the city to escape…

By The Associated Press MIAMI — A swath of the Florida Panhandle was under a tropical storm warning after Tropical Storm Mindy made landfall Wednesday night. The storm touched down over St. Vincent Island, about 10 miles (15 km) west southwest of Apalachicola, according to the National Hurricane Center. Mindy could cause as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rainfall across the Florida Panhandle and portions of southern Georgia and South Carolina through Thursday…

By The Associated Press MEXICO CITY — Torrential rains in central Mexico suddenly flooded a hospital early Tuesday, killing 16 patients, possibly due to the loss of oxygen equipment as the power went out, the national Social Security Institute said. A video posted on the agency’s social media feed said that about 40 other patients survived as waters rose suddenly in downtown Tula and flooded the public hospital around 6 a.m. Video recorded inside the…

By WRAL Severe Weather Center Wrightsville Beach, N.C. — While Hurricane Larry isn’t expected to affect North Carolina directly, the system is causing a dangerous rip current risk along our coast. Steering currents will help keep Larry away from the U.S., but North Carolina’s coast experienced some rip currents or large ocean swells over Labor Day weekend, and several more days of dangerous conditions are expected. Fourteen rip current-related rescues were made Saturday at Wrightsville…

In the wake of the devastation left in New Orleans and the northeast after Hurricane Ida, emergency response officials are offering reminders about what is best to give to those in need. Along with giving to reputable organizations, there are some items you shouldn’t send and others that go much further in helping. “I would suggest right now that people not consider sending clothing,” Barry Porter, regional CEO of the American Red Cross said. “Because…