Raleigh North Carolina News

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…

Three EF-1 tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in Raleigh. All three of them happened in Edgecombe County. They happened 14 miles and less than 11 hours apart. All three were warned by the National Weather Service. Three EF-1 tornadoes in Edgecombe County this week The first was in the Princeville-Tarboro area. It happened shortly after 5 p.m. Monday and was on the ground for six minutes. It traveled more than two miles…

Strong winds damaged multiple homes and toppled trees early Tuesday in Edgecombe County, where radar confirmed a tornado around 3:45 a.m. Photos show significant damage to a home on Gay Street and downed trees on powerlines on School Street. No injuries or deaths have been reported after the storm. Edgecombe County was under a tornado warning between 3:25 a.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday, the third tornado warning there in less than 12 hours. Savanna Brooks,…

Flooding and damaging winds made a mess for residents across central North Carolina on Monday. WRAL meteorologist made Monday a WRAL Weather Alert Day due to the potential for heavy rain, with some areas potentially seeing up to four inches through Tuesday morning. The damaging winds left many in Edgecombe County surprised. “I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad,” said Chyna Warren, who lives in the county. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings…

5 On Your Side tracked some of the estimated 23,000 vehicles that flooded in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene. To better protect you, our team wanted to follow the process these cars go through after being flooded and learn how scammers conceal damage from unsuspecting buyers. Flooded cars: What should happen When a car, truck or SUV is flooded, its title should be branded as being flood damaged.  That process can happen in a few ways. One…

Monday afternoon, Tommy Augustine, a trained storm spotter and chaser, caught photos and video of a tornado in Jamesville, North Carolina. We shared one of his posts to Facebook shortly after he called it in to the local National Weather Service office. Tornado reported near Jamesville, NC You could tell from Augustine’s videos and others that this hit a very rural area, which turned out to be good news. After storms cause damage, be it…

We are now less than a month away from the official start to hurricane season. Hurricane season in the Atlantic runs from June 1 to November 30. The WRAL Severe Weather Team will air its 2025 Tropical Outlook Tuesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. 2025 tropical outlook to air May 20 at 6 p.m. on WRAL In our part of the state, we have a lot of people moving from different areas – areas that…

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1. In the 1950s, weather officials started giving storms short, distinctive names to avoid confusion and streamline communications, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The National Hurricane Center does not decide the names of tropical storms. The list is based on a strict procedure established by the World Meteorological Organization. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has a list of rotating names for both Atlantic…

On a wet, early April afternoon, the air was thick and humid, moisture hanging heavy. Rain was spitting down slowly after a few hours of steady showers. Everything was wet. Nestled in a valley amongst rivers and creeks, Valle Crucis is a small community just west of Boone with a couple of churches, a conference center, the famous Mast General Store and a school.  The rain-soaked day brought less than half an inch of rain…

A burn ban is in effect on Saturday for unincorporated areas of Brunswick County as authorities on the coast continue battling a massive wildfire at Boiling Spring Lake. During a burn ban, all burning within 100 feet of any structure is prohibited within unincorporated areas. The town of Leeland also issued a burn ban within town limits. As of Saturday, the North Carolina Forest Service estimates the Boiling Springs Lake fire has burned 650 acres…