Raleigh North Carolina News

By AMY BETH HANSON, Associated Press HELENA, Mont. — A late-season wildfire pushed by strong winds ripped through a tiny central Montana farming town overnight, burning several homes and grain elevators that had stood for more than a century, authorities said. Officials were assessing the damage in Denton on Thursday morning while crews continued to fight the fire. The fire burned “around 25 structures to include grain elevators and bridges,” the Fergus County Sheriff’s Office…

By Zach Maloch, WRAL meteorologist Another Atlantic hurricane season has come and gone — and while it officially ended on Nov. 30 — the lull in activity since early-October made it feel like hurricane season ended early. Despite its very quiet end, the Atlantic hurricane season brought 21 named storms: seven becoming hurricanes and four becoming major hurricanes. Of the seven hurricanes, the first five formed at near-record pace matching 1966, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005…

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist Tuesday marks the final day of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The forecast at the beginning of the season was that it would be more active than normal – and it ended up being our third most active season on record. “It started off strong and ended up with a whimper,” said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. We didn’t see any storms in October or November, so it may seem like…

By WXII Pilot Mountain, N.C. — A wildfire on Pilot Mountain has burned over 200 acres as of Sunday night. The fire started around 5:15 p.m. on Saturday near the Grindstone Trail, according to NBC affiliate WXII. Fire officials said Pilot Mountain State Park would be closed Sunday, and likely the rest of the week, because of the wildfire. Firefighters are currently in “defensive operations” because of strong winds, reports WXII. A campground near the…

By Heather Leah, WRAL multiplatform producer If you lived in Raleigh in November of 1988, you remember the tornado. The Kmart was flattened. Asbury United Methodist Church was destroyed. Some locals still remember crouching in their bathtubs while the walls shook around them. I was only five years old. I remember walking outside that evening, pointing at the clouds and saying to my mom, “They look weird. They look scary.” I didn’t know it meant…

By FARES AKRAM, Associated Press BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip — The first rainstorm of winter sent water pouring into Ghalia al-Attar’s house through cracks in the walls and tin roof, as the widow, her children and grandchildren spread buckets across the floor. Their home was among tens of thousands that were damaged during the 11-day Gaza war in May between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the isolated and impoverished territory. Hundreds…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Just in time for Turkey Day, the Carolina Hurricanes are giving away turkeys to those in need. “This is the busiest day of the year for us. It’s like our Super Bowl,” said Nick Robertson from Urban Ministries. A more apt comparison might be the Stanley Cup Finals, since the Carolina Hurricanes were making the Wednesday morning deliveries. “We are very fortunate. With our friends at Harris Teeter, we are able…

By Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Flooding in Metcalf Residence Hall at North Carolina State University is forcing hundreds of students out of their dorms Monday night. University officials told WRAL News a student accidentally activated the sprinkler, injuring that student and forcing more than 400 other students to find somewhere else to stay. This chaotic scene forced students to wait hours to get inside and retrieve their belongings. Some students told WRAL…

By Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Flooding in Metcalf Residence Hall at North Carolina State University is forcing hundreds of students out of their dorms Monday night. The cause of the flooding is believed to be a sprinkler that activated on the 11th floor. Students are being evacuated and cannot stay in the building Monday night. Many students say they have been waiting more than four hours to go inside and gather their…

By JIM MORRIS, Associated Press VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The British Columbia government announced Friday it is limiting the amount of fuel people can purchase at gas stations in some parts of the province and is restricting non-essential travel as highways begin to reopen following torrential rains that caused floods and mudslides. Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said non-essential vehicles will be limited to about 8 gallons (30 liters) per trip to the gas…

By BRIAN MELLEY, Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Lightning-sparked wildfires killed thousands of giant sequoias this year, leading to a staggering two-year death toll that accounts for up to nearly a fifth of Earth’s largest trees, officials said Friday. Fires in Sequoia National Park and surrounding Sequoia National Forest tore through more than a third of groves in California and torched an estimated 2,261 to 3,637 sequoias, which are the largest trees by volume. Nearby…

Wake Forest, N.C. — Wake Forest police say two homes in town were recently damaged from gunshots and they’re looking for those responsible. The homes, which aren’t believed to be the targets of the shooters, were in the Del Webb at Traditions neighborhood. Wake Forest Police Chief Jeff Leonard said the homes were damaged by stray bullets. No one was injured. Police believe the homes may have been shot at by people hunting or shooting during target practice….

By Zachary Turner, Coastal Review Online Whiteville, N.C. — Dr. Justin T. Maxwell is an associate professor of geography at Indiana University, where he researches paleoclimatology, the study of the Earth’s past climates. Most recently, he explored the historical relationship between longleaf pines and tropical cyclone precipitation. Maxwell reconstructed North Carolina and South Carolina seasonal extreme rainfall totals as far back as 1700 by sampling tree rings from the Carolinas’ coastal plains. In a rare…

By Ken Smith, WRAL anchor/reporter It’s been a scary scene in parts of the Outer Banks these past few days. Extreme high tides and flooding shut down transportation, trapping a number of campers who were on Hatteras Island. Images from the flooding show waves crashing against homes, vehicles pushing through floodwaters and even a toppled dune. Ferries were canceled due to high winds, and Highway 12, the only north-south route on the Outer Banks, was…

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist Now that hurricane season is winding down, a different storm season is ramping up. Originating 93 million miles away from Earth, solar storms — produced by the sun — have both stunning and potentially dangerous effects here on Earth. “The sun provides us with life, with heat and light. But periodically is emits a blast of radiation that affects us here on earth and it can occur in different forms….