Raleigh North Carolina News

Saturday, April 1, 2023 2:00PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Dreamville Festival announced it will open gates to concertgoers two hours later than originally planned due to a severe weather risk. Gates will now open at 2 p.m. instead of 12 p.m. There is a level 1 of 5 risk of isolated severe storms for most of central NC Saturday, including Raleigh. The best potential will be from late morning into early afternoon. Damaging winds…

Hundreds of people were inside the theater for a sold-out metal concert featuring Morbid Angel, Skeletal Remains, Revocation ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team Saturday, April 1, 2023 3:54AM BELVIDERE, Ill. — At least one person has died and 28 others are injured after the roof collapsed during a sold-out concert at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, as severe storms raced through the area Friday evening. The Boone County sheriff’s office confirmed multiple ambulances were called…

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A tornado plowed through Little Rock and surrounding areas on Friday afternoon, reducing rooftops to splinters, toppling vehicles and tossing debris on roadways as people raced for shelter. More than 350,000 people were at risk as what the National Weather Service called a “confirmed large and destructive tornado” tore through business districts and neighborhoods in Little Rock and North Little Rock. Passengers and airport employees at…

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado emergency for Little Rock and surrounding areas, warning that 350,000 are in danger from a “confirmed large and destructive tornado.” Forecasters say the tornado was seen Friday afternoon in Little Rock and North Little Rock. There were no immediate reports of injuries. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Massive storms brewing over at least 15 states in the…

Friday, March 31, 2023 11:02AM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Only one more day until Dreamville Festival begins and preparations are wrapping up, but tomorrow’s threat for rain may deter people away despite this being a rain or shine event. Chopper 11 flew over Dorothea Dix Park and it appears everything is in place for the 50-thousand fans expected to show up each day. Dix Park will be closed to the public today. Organizers have released…

The names Fiona and Ian will no longer appear on the annual lists of names available for tropical systems. The World Meteorological Organization retired those names, citing the damage they did during the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.  Each year, the WMO outlines a list of 21 names in alphabetical order (there are no Q, U, X, Y or Z names) to be used as storms form in the Atlantic. Those lists rotate every six years. When a…

By Brian Murphy, WRAL sports investigative reporter The home of the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State’s men’s basketball team will remain PNC Arena after the hockey team and the bank agreed to an extension of their naming-rights agreement. WRAL reported in September that the sides were negotiating an extension. PNC has been the name of the Raleigh arena since 2012 after PNC Financial Services acquired assets of RBC Bank. The arena was called the RBC…

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 1:17PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — State lawmakers will get an update from a tax payer funded program that’s under fire for not helping homeowners hit hardest by Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Matthew. NC Rebuild is run by the state, but backed by federal dollars. It helps low income homeowners fix or rebuild their hurricane-damaged homes. For more than a year ABC11 Troubleshooter investigations exposed that thousands of homeowners in the program…

Smoke from a wildfire burning in rural Tyrrell County is reducing visibility on roads across inland eastern North Carolina, and the N.C. Department of Transportation is warning motorists to take precautions when driving in the region. Motorists throughout the region should be aware of the possibility of suddenly reduced visibility. Drivers have reported heavy pockets of smoke in Tyrrell, Hertford and Gates counties, and moderate smoke in Currituck and Camden counties. When encountering heavy smoke…

ROLLING ROCK, Miss. — Communities in the southern United States awoke Monday morning reeling from a deadly tornado outbreak and powerful thunderstorms. Over the weekend, at least 27 tornadoes were reported across five states — Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Officials said at least 25 people died in Mississippi, where one long-track twister left a trail of destruction for about 59 miles. There was at least one storm-related death in Alabama, where officials said…

President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday, making federal funding available to the areas hardest hit Friday night by a deadly tornado that ripped through the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest regions of the U.S. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through several towns on its hour-long path. One man was killed after his trailer home flipped…

ROLLING FORK, MISS. — ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — A powerful tornado tore through rural Mississippi and Alabama on Friday night, killing at least 13 people, destroying buildings and knocking out power as severe weather that produced hail the size of golf balls moved through several southern states and prompted authorities to warn some in its path that they were in a “life-threatening situation.” The National Weather Service issued an alert as the storm was…

WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — After three nasty years, the La Nina weather phenomenon that increases Atlantic hurricane activity and worsens western drought is gone, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. That’s usually good news for the United States and other parts of the world, including drought-stricken northeast Africa, scientists said. The globe is now in what’s considered a “neutral” condition and probably trending to an El Nino in late summer or fall,…

Wednesday, March 8, 2023 12:42PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — State officials are making sure we’re ready in the event of severe weather. As part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, there will be a statewide tornado drill. Emergency officials are encouraging us all to make a plan and then practice it today when the alarm goes off at 9:30 a.m. SEE ALSO: Survivors of deadly Mexico abduction return to America They’re also urging you to prepare…

Friday, March 3, 2023 10:53AM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — It was a wet start for central North Carolina once again. Scattered rain, heavy at times, will continue through much of the morning and into early afternoon on Friday. Once this rainfall leaves the area it is expected to dry out through the latter half of the afternoon before the chance for thunderstorms increases this evening. LIVE RADAR BELOW There is a level 1 risk for…

Thursday, March 2, 2023 10:58AM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A warm front and weak cool front will increase chances for showers through the mid-morning hours of Thursday. Rain will taper towards lunchtime for most. Clouds will remain during the day and night as a much stronger disturbance moves in from the southern Plains and into the Ohio Valley, with a cold front coming later Friday evening. Expect another warm day across the Triangle, with highs…

ByCrystal Cranmore Wednesday, March 1, 2023 3:53PM NEW YORK — Students at the Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School started Black History Month on a high note to make a special introduction to the community. “She (Florence Price) was really an underrated composer and was discriminated against. Still, she persisted,” said student musician Hazel Peebles. Price was the first Black woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer and became the first to have her…

At least nine tornadoes were reported in Kansas and Oklahoma on Sunday night as a massive winter storm moves east across the U.S. One tornado destroyed a home, toppled trees and knocked over power lines in Liberal, Kansas, near the state line with Oklahoma, according to local authorities. At least 12 people were injured due to the severe weather in Oklahoma’s third-largest city, Norman, located about 20 miles south of the state’s capital. None of…

Friday, February 24, 2023 10:39PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — In acknowledgment of Black History Month, the Carolina Hurricanes will wear helmet decals of Historically Black Colleges and Universities from across the state on Friday night. The Hurricanes take on the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m. at PNC Arena. There will be helmet decals representing (in alphabetical order) Bennett College, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University,…

Monday, February 20, 2023 12:46PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — There’s more action happening on the ice at Carter-Finley Stadium following the Canes win in the Stadium Series game. The event brought in more than 12 million dollars in ticket sales alone. The 10th annual alumni game is going to be played at 4 p.m. and is free to the public. It’s a chance for folks to take in a game inside this special arena if…

Sunday, February 19, 2023 3:16AM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Carolina Hurricanes look to be on their way to winning the big game against the Washington Capitals inside Carter-Finley Stadium. The Canes scored one goal in the first period, and then added three in the second period to take on a commanding 4-0 lead. The goal scorers for the Canes include Martin Necas, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Teuvo Teravainen and Paul Stastny. The Carolina Hurricanes currently sit…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The arrival of the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997 created a boom of interest in hockey all across the state. In February of 2007, that heightened interest manifested itself in the form of the Carolina Junior Hurricanes hockey program, which is now the premiere youth hockey program in all of North Carolina. “The junior Canes program is awesome! It’s been a huge part of my life; ever since I was young, I’ve…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Don’t miss the ABC11 NHL Stadium Series Pregame Special from 7 p.m. until puck drop at 8 p.m. You can watch the special on ABC11, the ABC11 North Carolina app or in the video player above. The special will be hosted by ABC11’s Steve Daniels, Lauren Johnson and Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker. The team will be rinkside at Carter-Finley Stadium and have live interviews with the NHL Commissioner, former Canes Goalie…

Raleigh, N.C. — The big outdoor hockey game is Saturday, but for thousands of Carolina Hurricanes without a pricey ticket, Friday’s downtown celebration will serve as a worthy appetizer. Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest is the precursor to Saturday’s Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium. The event will feature Hurricanes alumni, photo opportunities with The Stanley Cup, street hockey games, a Ferris wheel, live music, entertainment and fireworks to cap it off! Full list of food…

Raleigh, N.C. — The big outdoor hockey game is Saturday, but for thousands of Carolina Hurricanes without a pricey ticket, Friday’s downtown celebration will serve as a worthy appetizer. Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest is the precursor to Saturday’s Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium. The event will feature Hurricanes alumni, photo opportunities with The Stanley Cup, street hockey games, a Ferris wheel, live music, entertainment and fireworks to cap it off! Full list of food…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — All the excitement begins on Fayetteville Street in just a matter of hours for Fan Fest. There will be two stages of live music, one at the Capitol and the other at City Plaza. DJs start at 11 a.m. with live bands playing throughout the day. There will also be food trucks, dozens of vendors and mascots from all over the state including Stormy, Muddy the Mudcat, and Wool E Bull….

Viola Ryals Figueroa is finally seeing some progress. There’s a house going up on her Goldsboro property after losing her home during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. She’s lived in a FEMA trailer since then. “It’s not our fault that we [were] displaced six years and four months ago,” Figueroa said. “And, as you can tell, we’re still displaced six years and four months later.” The WRAL Documentary “Aftermath: North Carolina Hurricane Victims Left Behind” examined…

The North Carolina Hurricanes are celebrating its 25 in the NHL with a Fan Fest a day before it plays in the NHL Stadium Series game. The fun is scheduled for Friday, February 17, from 11 am – 9 pm on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Gov. Cooper will sound the Hurricane siren to kick off Fan Fest! The Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest will be jam-packed with family-friendly fun, such as: photo ops with Canes…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Fan Fest is just days away. Businesses and festival organizers are hoping it reminds people that downtown is a great place to eat, drink and spend your dollars. “Everybody is just buckling up, caffeinating, getting ready for a big weekend,” said Chris Powers, owner of Young Hearts Distillery on South Wilmington Street. READ MORE: Canes Fan Fest | ABC11’s Guide to Capitals vs Canes NHL Stadium Series 2023 game in Raleigh…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The NHL Stadium Series game is just nine days away and now we’re learning a big name in Canes history is returning for an encore. Days before the big game, the Canes will host Hall of Fame Night during the team’s game on February 16 against the Canadiens. Former Goalie Cam Ward will be there to be celebrated as part of the inaugural class into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame. He…

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — An iconic Black church in Fayetteville makes a triumphant return to its historic building after being pushed out by Hurricane Florence. The congregation has been displaced from its church home for going on five years. Evans A.M.E. Church has been at the building since 1893, and its founding goes back even further to 1796, thanks to a free Black man named Henry Evans. “He was concerned about those who were enslaved…

Monday, February 6, 2023 1:40PM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Excitement is growing for the NHL Stadium Series game in Raleigh. The Carolina Hurricanes are taking on the Washington Capitals in just under two weeks. A 53-foot trailer arrived Monday morning with state-of-the-art ice-making and ice-monitoring equipment used to create an NHL caliber sheet of ice. It’s considered the largest mobile refrigeration unit in the world. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Friday February 17…

Raleigh, N.C. — The pomp and circumstance surrounding the Carolina Hurricanes hosting an outdoor hockey game at Carter-Finley Stadium will encompass several days of fanfare to rev up Raleigh for a never-before-experienced event in The City of Oaks. The game brings a national audience, a potential windfall of economic impact and a spectacle that figures to bolster the Triangle as a growing hockey market. The wait is over as the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium…

PASADENA, Texas — A massive volunteer effort is underway near Houston, Texas to clear away debris from last week’s tornadoes. Many of those pitching in to help are high school students whose school has remained closed since the powerful EF-3 tornado. SEE ALSO | Dramatic video captures couple running from RV, diving into ditchwater to shelter from Texas tornado Among the buildings heavily damaged are a roller skating rink that’s been a popular meeting place…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Stadium Series game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals is less than a month away but the game isn’t the only thing taking center stage that weekend. Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest will take place on Friday, February 17 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. If you’re interested in being part of all the fun, know that it will happen in downtown Raleigh and is completely free! Two stages will be set…

ORANGE, Texas — A couple feels “blessed to be alive” after running from their RV and diving into a ditch to shelter from a tornado in Texas. Video captured Tuesday shows the dramatic moments Zachary Peck-Chapman and his partner scramble out of their RV with their two dogs and jump into ditchwater at the Country Livin’ RV Park in Orange, about 100 miles east of Houston. On Tuesday, forecasters issued a rare tornado emergency for…

Wednesday, January 25, 2023 11:02AM RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging wind gusts and even an isolated tornado will be possible today, especially east of the Triangle. Strong wind gusts to 45 mph will also be possible. The system brings initial spotty showers between 7-10 a.m. before the main push of rain and thunderstorms arrives in the area later this morning, perhaps even after noon to the east. The risk of…

PASADENA, TEXAS — A powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that downed utility poles and power lines, overturned vehicles and ripped roofs off homes and businesses in communities east of Houston. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado emergency for that area, warning that a “large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado” was on the ground Tuesday afternoon…

HOUSTON — A powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that caused damage east of Houston. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado emergency for that area, warning that a “large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado” was on the ground Tuesday afternoon and was headed toward Baytown, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Houston. The warning expired as the system moved to the east. There…

RALEIGH, N.C. — A shakeup in leadership at the state agency in charge of helping hurricane Florence and Matthew victims get back into their homes.  This is happening one month after our latest WRAL Documentary, “Aftermath” exposed some of the problems and delays at the agency. We know a new leader is being added to ReBuild N-C, But there are still a lot of questions about who ordered this change and what it means for…

A fourth person has been charged after a Florence man was allegedly shot after being kidnapped and held inside a dog kennel last year. The Darlington County Sheriff’s Office said Brittany Nichol Caraway was arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping in the death of Trey Lee Montrose. She was booked into the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center after her arrest Tuesday. Kelly-Hines’ arrest follows the announcement that three other suspects, Charles Book, charged on…

Tuesday, January 17, 2023 5:09PM The National Hurricane Center on Monday issued a rare tropical weather outlook for January: a strong, non-tropical low pressure system in the Atlantic Ocean. The powerful storm, located about 300 miles north of Bermuda, will soon lose steam. It was unable to transition to a subtropical or tropical cyclone as it moved north on Monday. Click here for the latest North Carolina weather forecast. This system was responsible for the…

Lending a helping hand. Volunteers from local organizations are stepping in to help people impacted after deadly tornadoes ripped through the southeast. A long road ahead before getting ‘back to normal’ in parts of Alabama and Georgia where deadly tornadoes swept across the southeast. Seeing the wreckage encouraged Zonia Quero-Ziada to step in to help. “Wherever they send me, I go,” said Quero-Ziada. She’s deployed to more than 30 disasters across the country with the…

SELMA, Ala. — A massive storm system whipping up severe winds and spawning tornadoes cut a path across the U.S. South, killing at least seven people in Georgia and Alabama, where a twister damaged buildings and tossed cars in the streets of historic downtown Selma. Authorities said a clearer picture of the extent of the damage and a search for additional victims would come Friday, when conditions were expected to clear. After the storm began…

SELMA, ALA. — A giant, swirling storm system billowing across the South spurred a tornado on Thursday that shredded the walls of homes, toppled roofs and uprooted trees in Selma, Alabama, a city etched in the history of the civil rights movement. In Autauga County, Alabama, which is 41 miles (66 kilometers) northeast of Selma, officials estimate that 40 to 50 homes were damaged or destroyed by storms that cut a strip across the county,…

The state is looking at ways to mitigate effects from hurricanes and natural disasters. They’ve received a more $202 million Community Development Block Grant that must be used toward mitigation efforts through the Housing and Urban Development. Some people who are still trying to recover from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, though, feel left behind. ‘Help us please’ is what one participant wrote on a note and held up during the citizen advisory committee meeting Tuesday…

The state is looking at ways to mitigate effects from hurricanes and natural disasters. They’ve received a more $202 million Community Development Block Grant that must be used toward mitigation efforts through the Housing and Urban Development. Some people who are still trying to recover from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, though, feel left behind. ‘Help us please’ is what one participant wrote on a note and held up during the citizen advisory committee meeting Tuesday…

SAN FRANCISCO — California was hit with more turbulent weather Sunday as thunderstorms, snow and damaging winds swept into the northern part the state, preceding another series of incoming storms and raising the potential for road flooding, rising rivers and mudslides on soils already saturated after days of rain. The National Weather Service warned of a “relentless parade of atmospheric rivers” — storms that are long plumes of moisture stretching out into the Pacific capable…

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — When storms moved through central North Carolina on Wednesday, Cumberland County saw some of the strongest winds. Now residents are dealing with the aftermath of the severe weather that rolled through the county. Gene Booth, director of Cumberland County Emergency Management, said most of the damage occurred between Grays Creek and Cedar Creek area. “We had quite a bit of trees down. Power outages as well as internet outages,” Booth said. “We…

RALEIGH, N.C. — Scattered showers will be possible Wednesday morning, especially in northern counties, before severe weather impacts the Triangle this afternoon. Wednesday will be rainy but very warm, with highs expected to reach the low 70s. Wednesday’s high of 73 degrees will be close to the Jan. 4, 2005, record of 76 degrees. The area is under a Level 1 risk for severe weather. Heavy rain, gusty winds and an isolated tornado will be…