Raleigh North Carolina News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, is hosting a public information meeting on Thursday in Princeville to gather input and provide an update on the ongoing flood risk management project. Princeville residents have waited decades for solutions to flooding after several historic storms left the town nearly underwater. On Thursday, behind a weathered white picket fence in Princeville, Jimmie Hilliard sat quietly, reflecting on the decades he’s spent in the historic town. “I…

Sanford residents are cleaning up on Thursday after intense rain brought flooding to Lee County. Thursday was a WRAL Weather Alert Day due to the intense rain that moved through central North Carolina. Some areas saw more than two inches of rain. According to a spokesperson for the season, the city received more than 20 emergency calls in just two and a half hours Thursday afternoon. Several roads in Sanford were flooded, causing cars to…

Responding to the widespread devastation from Hurricane Helene will cost so much that it’ll set other road and bridge construction work back by years, state business leaders told reporters Thursday, as North Carolina braces for the upcoming 2025 hurricane season and whatever additional damage that might bring. Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Stein raised alarms of his own during a separate briefing Thursday, saying President Donald Trump’s cuts to federal spending will hurt efforts to predict and respond to…

Responding to the widespread devastation from Hurricane Helene will cost so much that it’ll set other road and bridge construction work back by years, state business leaders told reporters Thursday, as North Carolina braces for the upcoming 2025 hurricane season and whatever additional damage that might bring. The NC Chamber of Commerce, the state’s main business lobbying group, is working to highlight the domino-like effect that natural disasters can have on funding for roads and…

Duke Energy is preparing for the start of Hurricane Season.  WRAL News went inside a distribution control center in Garner for a first-hand look at the tools the company uses.  The company operates two control centers in North Carolina, where crews monitor the power grid and coordinate storm responses. Duke Energy Spokesperson Jeff Brooks said the most power issues can be resolved remotely from these facilities, thereby reducing the need to send crews into the…

As the official start of hurricane season approaches, many in parts of the state have yet to fully recover from Hurricane Helene. Some people in western North Carolina told WRAL, the thought of another hurricane hitting the area is scary. “At this point, even heavy rain coming through the area people get extremely high PTSD and anxiety symptoms when the water is rising again,” said Wendy Vanoy. Vanoy lives in western North Carolina. She said…

The Carolina Hurricanes — accustomed to playoff success but unable to break through with a Stanley Cup Final appearance in almost two decades — entered the offseason Thursday with plenty of cap space, a few roster holes and lingering questions about their ceiling and style of play.  Florida eliminated the Hurricanes from the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night with a 5-3 victory in Game 5. The Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, have won…

By Brian Murphy, WRAL News Florida Panthers Carolina Hurricanes TNT | Wednesday, May 28th 8:00 PM EDT Facing elimination and the absence of two top-six defensemen once again, the Carolina Hurricanes will turn to their all-world defenseman Jacob Slavin to soak up additional minutes. Slavin played 28 minutes in Carolina’s 3-0 Game 4 victory against the Florida Panthers as the Huricanes staved off elimination. The 28 minutes are about 6:30 more than he averaged during…

As hurricane season approaches, many are wondering how frequently North Carolina is hit by hurricanes — and just how destructive those hurricanes can be. We’ve taken a look back through the most historic, deadly and destructive hurricanes in North Carolina’s history. The damage and deaths wreaked over the past 60 years by these monster North Carolina hurricanes have become legendary. Some locals remember spending a week in the dark after Hurricane Fran. Parts of eastern…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a 60% chance for an above-normal hurricane season. NOAA released its forecast on Thursday for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which goes from June 1 to Nov. 30. The agency is predicting a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA is forecasting: Between 13 to 19 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, six to…

Nearly half a billion dollars more in relief funding for Hurricane Helene recovery won unanimous approval in the North Carolina House of Representatives Thursday, shortly after the chamber also voted to approve a separate $33 billion plan to fund the rest of state government. The broader budget is expected to be bogged down in fights between Republicans in the Senate and House over tax policy and other disagreements. So House lawmakers are hoping to keep…

Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in late September 2024, wreaking havoc in the mountains. People lost everything, including honeybees. According to the NC State Apiculture program at NC State University, it’s estimated that 70% to 90% of working beehives in the mountains were destroyed by Helene. Now there is a project to bring them back. In October, Dr. David Tarpy with NC State’s Apiculture Department came up with an idea to get new beehives…

With the Atlantic hurricane season nearly underway, officials are encouraging North Carolinians to reassess their risk and consider flood insurance. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), just one inch of water can cause $25,000 in damage and there have been floods in 98% of counties in America. “Increasingly, a flood is something that’s likely to happen to you over a 30-year mortgage,” said Jeff Jackson in 2023, who used to lead flood insurance…

A lot of us don’t even want to think about hurricane season, especially since Debby and Helene did a number on North Carolina in 2024. Helene was so destructive, the name will never be used again. Names are retired by the World Meteorological Organization when storms are more deadly and destructive (ie. Helene, Michael, Katrina, etc.). 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast The WRAL Severe Weather team is forecasting a near-average number of systems this Atlantic…

A house exploded in Leland Friday night, causing extensive damage to several homes on Suncrest Way.  Nathan White said he was in the home, playing his guitar when he felt the house shake.  “I’m in shock,” said White. “I’m just thinking about how my life’s gonna change right now, and how I’m never gonna feel safe where I am, probably for a long time, if ever.” Garage doors across the street were blown in by…