Raleigh North Carolina News

Colorado State University (CSU) is calling for an above-normal level of activity for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The forecast is based on warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic and other ocean conditions. 2025 hurricane season forecast (Colorado State University) Forecast parameters Forecast for 2025 Average for 1991-2020 Named storms 17 14.4 Named storm days 85 69.4 Hurricanes 9 7.2 Hurricane days 35 27 Major hurricanes 4 3.2 Major hurricane days 9…

By Scott Mason, WRAL reporter From sharpening skates and fixing steel to painting the goaltenders’ facemasks, 46-year-old Jorge Alves is with the Carolina Hurricanes to ensure they get what they need on a typical day at Lenovo Center. “The air-brushing is actually the easiest part,” Alves said. Alves, the son of Portuguese immigrants, grew up playing hockey in Massachusetts. However, a higher calling brought him to North Carolina, where he served in the Marine Corps…

The North Carolina Forest Service on Wednesday lifted a burn ban for all counties as wildfire conditions improve in the western portion of the state. The ban was lifted on all open burning effective 8 a.m. on April 2. The ban went into effect on March 21. Steve Troxler, the state’s agriculture commissioner, credits the recent rain for improving conditions. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, WCNC Charlotte reports the Black Cove Complex fire in Polk County was 97%…

The risks from continued wildfires that have already burned thousands of acres in western North Carolina, forcing mandatory evacuations in some counties, are “expected to get worse, not better” as the year goes on, a top state official said Tuesday. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler oversees the state’s forestry service that’s coordinating the wildfire response. He said Hurricane Helene is to blame for the worse-than-normal fires in the western part of the state, since there are…

Months ago, a washed-out bridge damaged during Hurricane Helene’s flooding temporarily blocked Matthew Rogers from returning to his beloved North Carolina cabin. The lakeside property in Flat Rock that has been in his family for around 40 years – and has come to represent healing and hope, Rogers says – became a casualty of the recent wildfires in the state. After seeing the home he affectionately named the Cabin of Hope now smoldered to the…

Hendersonville, North Carolina (CNN) — Months ago, a washed-out bridge damaged during Hurricane Helene’s flooding temporarily blocked Matthew Rogers from returning to his beloved North Carolina cabin. The lakeside property in Flat Rock that has been in his family for around 40 years – and has come to represent healing and hope, Rogers says – became a casualty of the recent wildfires in the state. After seeing the home he affectionately named the Cabin of…

A new state-led project aims to keep roads dry and hospital access open during storms in a flood-prone part of Goldsboro. State officials broke ground Friday on a natural infrastructure pilot project behind Wayne Community College, where frequent flooding has been known to cut off access to nearby Wayne Memorial Hospital. The site will be transformed into a stormwater wetland and detention basin, designed to collect and slowly release rainwater before it overwhelms roads and…

Nearly six months after Hurricane Helene, some western North Carolina communities are still struggling to get clean water. In Ashe County, 100 miles from Asheville, Michelle Denny is struggling to repair her family home that’s been passed down through generations. Denny said Sept. 27, 2024, the day Helene destroyed her grandmother’s Fleetwood home, feels like yesterday. She has lived there her entire life.  “They had to come around here and come to the front door by boat,” Denny said, describing the…

North Carolina reached a major milestone in coastal resilience Friday, celebrating the installation of its 15,000th fortified roof—an upgrade designed to protect homes from hurricane-force winds and heavy rain. The North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA) hosted a luncheon Friday to mark the achievement. NCIUA has invested more than $100 million into programs that help coastal homeowners upgrade to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) FORTIFIED Roof standard. “The best defense against storms is…

Two EF-1 tornadoes and a waterspout were confirmed in North Carolina following severe weather that hit the state late Sunday. Eight people were injured after a confirmed tornado destroyed multiple homes in Perquimans County early Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Perquimans County is located in the northeast portion of North Carolina, close to Edenton. WITN reports three trailers at Longview Estates in Woodville were destroyed and several others damaged by the EF-1…

Intense rain, wind and storms made for a mess on the roads on Sunday during a WRAL Weather Alert Day. Flooded roads caused travel headaches for drivers in Wake County, as several areas of ponding water were spotted on Capital Boulevard near Old Louisburg Road. Much of the standing water was a result of intense rain during a flash flood warning in Wake County. The wet roads also made problems for drivers around the Triangle….

Sunday is a WRAL Weather Alert Day, as the chance for severe storms with damaging winds and localized flooding threaten part of Central North Carolina. Residents impacted by storms on March 5 are on edge about the intensity of round two.  WRAL revisited Walden Pond Drive in Raleigh, where storm cleanup continues. A damaged tree could be seen on Walden Pond Drive.  Wake County resident Raien Nwakuche said its an example of Mother Nature’s power. …

Friday morning, schools across the state are preparing for a tornado drill as part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week. … The National Weather Service in cooperation with local broadcasters will conduct a statewide tornado drill on Friday, March 7. The alarm test will activate the Emergency Alert System and be carried by local radio broadcasters. The tornado drill was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was rescheduled for Friday to avoid confusion; North Carolina had four tornado…

A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress aims to remove federal taxes on disaster mitigation grants, a move that could make stormproofing homes more affordable for North Carolinians. The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., and Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., would exclude catastrophe mitigation payments from taxable income, ensuring that homeowners who receive grants to strengthen their homes against hurricanes, floods and wildfires don’t face a tax burden. “Catastrophe…

A preliminary investigation by the National Weather Service indicates an EF-1 tornado with 90 mph winds touched down in Union County during Wednesday morning’s severe weather. A spokesperson for the NWS said the possible tornado touched down at approximately 8:34 a.m. It covered approximately 2.2 miles on the ground in about three minutes before lifting to the sky. The storm caused damage to several structures in the area of Friendly Baptist Church and Ridge Road,…