Wilmington North Carolina News

Hurricane Isaias brought some of the worst flooding Ocean Isle Beach has ever seen. How does it look after a year of rebuilding?

Fire (Photo: MGN Online) OREGON (AP) — Out-of-state crews are heading to Montana to battle a blaze that injured five firefighters as the West struggles with a series of fires that have ravaged rural lands and destroyed homes. Authorities say progress is being made on the nation’s largest blaze, the Bootleg Fire in Oregon, but additional mandatory evacuations were ordered Friday evening and less than half of it has been contained. – Advertisement – Meanwhile,…

Western Wildfire on July 20, 2021 (Photo: RMG/CBS News) COLUMBIA, SC (AP) — Health officials say smoke from wildfires in the western U.S. and Canada will drift across parts of South Carolina this week and could cause problems in people with chronic heart and lung diseases. State health officials say the exact timing of the smoke depends on winds, but the worst of it should start late Wednesday and last through Thursday in areas north…

Buildings flooded in Europe (Photo: MGN/ Global News / YouTube) Ahrweiler, Germany (CBS News) — Extreme weather has brought wrenching scenes of devastation in western Europe. The scale of the deadly flooding that hit huge swathes of Germany and Belgium was still becoming clear on Monday. More than 180 people were killed after record amounts of rain drenched the region. There were still about 700 people unaccounted for on Monday as shocked residents tried to…

NEW YORK (ABC News) — Europe’s devastating flood death toll rose to at least 183 on Sunday with hard-hit west Germany and Belgium reeling from fast-rising waters that destroyed neighborhoods, swallowed up streets and swept away cars. There are at least 156 dead in Germany, according to authorities. The hardest-hit areas in Germany are Rhineland-Palatinate, where 110 were killed in the catastrophic flooding and in North Rhine-Westphalia, where 46 people died, the Koblenz Police and the German Ministry…

Moon (Photo: Glenn Beltz / CC BY 2.0) NEW YORK (CNN) — Coastal communities in the United States, be forewarned. A “dramatic” surge in high-tide floods is just over a decade away in the US, according to NASA. The rapid increase will start in the mid-2030s, when a lunar cycle will amplify rising sea levels caused by the climate crisis, found a new study led by the members of the NASA Sea Level Change Science…

BERLIN (AP) — At least 100 people have died in devastating floods across parts of western Germany and Belgium, officials said Friday, as rescue operations and the search for hundreds still unaccounted for continued. Authorities in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate said 50 people had died there. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia state officials put the death toll at 43, and Belgium reported 12 dead. – Advertisement – Rescuers were rushing to help people trapped in…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — With more than 140 days remaining in the 2021 hurricane season, now is the time to prepare for the next big storm. The Cape Fear has been impacted by two named tropical systems over just the past month, with a lot of time still remaining in the season. – Advertisement – Insurance professional George Trifoli says these weaker early season storms are good reminders to check on your current coverage. “When…

(Photo: WWAY) BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC (STARNEWS) — It’s been nearly three years since Hurricane Florence drenched Boiling Spring Lakes with 30 inches of rain over four days, bursting four dams and washing away Alton Lennon Drive. Residents in this Brunswick County town have since seen the iconic Big Lake run almost completely dry, with people in lakeside homes now living by a shallow creek overrun with vegetation. – Advertisement – “I knew it would take time…

Updates on Tropical Storm Elsa’s impacts as the system moves across North Carolina.

Visitors at the Fort Fisher Aquarium (photo: Peyton Furtado) NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — With so many outdoor activities across the Cape Fear, tourists took museums and the aquarium by storm. “We can’t go in the pool, can’t go in the ocean. We’ve got to find something,” said one mom. “It’s way better than watching cartoons at the hotel.” – Advertisement – Cape Fear Museum’s Amy Thornton said it was no surprise Tropical Storm Elsa…

Across the Triangle, the impacts of Tropical Storm Elsa were felt as the storm passed through the state on Thursday.

(Photo: WWAY) CURRIE, NC (WWAY) — The historic Canetuck Rosenwald School, which is now the Canetuck Community Center, was scheduled to open for tours today. The tours were canceled because of today’s hazardous weather, brought to the area by Tropical Storm Elsa. The school played a significant role in educating African-American students in rural Pender County. Tours will be held every Thursday from 10 am to noon, and will be led by alumni and volunteers….

Updates on Tropical Storm Elsa’s impacts as the system moves across North Carolina.

A weakened Tropical Storm Elsa dumped rain across Florida’s northern Gulf Coast early Wednesday but appears to have spared the state significant damage and widespread power outages.

Tropical Storm Elsa track LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Tropical Storm Elsa will be bringing some of those impacts to the Cape Fear Region today. As of 8 a.m., we could see churned up surf at North Topsail Beach with the temperature in the lower 80’s and signs that the tropical air mass has already reached our region. – Advertisement – A Tornado Watch is in effect until 9 a.m. for all of WWAY’s coverage area…

Credit: NOAA & Pixabay SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) – A weakened but resilient Tropical Storm Elsa has left at least one person dead in Florida and injured several at a campground at a Navy base in Georgia. The storm was churning through southeast Georgia on Wednesday night, hours after making landfall in Florida. – Advertisement – One person was killed in Jacksonville, Florida, when a tree fell onto a car. And a spokesman for Kings Bay…

Donna. Hugo. Fran. Floyd. Florence. Hazel. We know how much damage the destructive winds and floods can cause in modern times. But how much damage did these monster storms cause in the centuries before hurricanes had names? How did pre-Revolutionary colonies planted right on the coastline respond when they saw those distinctive gray clouds rolling down the horizon?

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —With Tropical Storm Elsa presenting a threat of severe weather, local emergency management is asking people to properly prepare for possible impact. It’s still early in the hurricane season, and Tropical Storm Elsa is already the second storm expected to make its way to the Cape Fear.  Since we don’t yet know the full impact Elsa will have, New Hanover County Emergency Management director, Steven Still, says residents still need…

A weakened Tropical Storm Elsa dumped rain across Florida’s northern Gulf Coast early Wednesday but appears to have spared the state significant damage and widespread power outages.

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear region is preparing for impacts from Tropical Storm Elsa Wednesday and into Thursday evening. “On its current track Tropical Storm Elsa has the potential to produce heavy rainfall, flooding, isolated tornadoes, and dangerous rip currents as early as Wednesday night through Thursday evening,” said Pender County Emergency Manager Tommy Batson. – Advertisement – Tropical Storm Elsa has the potential to spawn tornadoes, as well as cause power…

Elsa has returned to tropical storm status and is expected to maintain that strength as it passes through North Carolina on Thursday, according to the 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center.

Credit: NOAA & Pixabay FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – The National Hurricane Center says weather conditions in southern Florida have begun to deteriorate as Tropical Storm Elsa moves toward the Florida Keys. Elsa’s top winds have strengthened to 60 mph, and a hurricane watch is in effect Tuesday for parts of Florida’s Gulf coast. – Advertisement – It’s complicating the search effort at the collapsed condo in Surfside, and could be near hurricane strength before…

Credit: NOAA HAVANA (AP) – Tropical Storm Elsa is sweeping along Cuba’s southern coast, and forecasters expect it to make landfall on the island’s central shore by midafternoon Monday. Cuban officials evacuated 180,000 people as a precaution against the possibility of heavy flooding from a storm that already battered several Caribbean islands, killing at least three people. – Advertisement – Elsa is forecast to cross over Cuba by Monday night and then head for Florida,…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Elsa has strengthened into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season and it’s battering the eastern Caribbean, where officials closed schools, businesses and airports under the threat of flash flooding and landslides. Heavy rains and winds lashed Barbados on Friday as the Category 1 storm aimed for other nearby islands including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which are still struggling to recover from recent volcanic eruptions. – Advertisement –…

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — With hurricane season underway, New Hanover County Emergency Management wants to make sure that people are prepared for any upcoming storms. New Hanover County Emergency Management will host “Survivor Day” on Saturday, July 10. – Advertisement – “Survivor Day” is a free event where individuals and families can learn how to live safely through natural disasters and other emergencies, like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards and more. Assistant Director…

Tropical Storm Danny (Photo: CNN) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Tropical Storm Danny has made landfall along the South Carolina coast and is threatening to dump rain around parts of the Southeast as it moves inland. The National Hurricane Center said the storm packed top sustained winds of 40 mph when it came ashore Monday evening north of Hilton Head in South Carolina. – Advertisement – Danny was expected to head across east-central Georgia in the…

Tropical Storm Danny (Photo: CNN) MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Danny has formed off South Carolina’s coast, and forecasters say the storm is expected to dump several inches of rain on some parts of the Southeast once it heads inland. The fourth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season formed Monday afternoon off South Carolina’s coast. – Advertisement – It has top sustained winds of 40 mph and is racing to the west-northwest toward…

Road closure (Photo: MGN Online) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– The Wilmington Police Department has shutdown a section to of Independence Boulevard due to flooding caused by a retention pong. A WPD spokesman said the road is closed from River Road to Carolina Beach Road and that the worst of the flooding is in front of the Hawthorne at Indy West Apartment Complex. – Advertisement – Crews from the City of Wilmington are on the scene working…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — It’s been more than four months since a deadly tornado ripped through southern Brunswick County, and those who helped with the recovery effort are now being recognized. On February 15, an EF-3 tornado damaged and destroyed dozens of homes in and near the Ocean Ridge Plantation Community. Three people died and at least 10 others were injured. – Advertisement – HOA President Donna Ciliberto says many homeowners still have a…

Naperville City tornado (Photo: Daily Herald / YouTube / MGN) CHICAGO (AP) — Officials say a radar-confirmed tornado swept through communities in heavily populated suburban Chicago, damaging more than 100 homes, toppling trees, knocking out power and causing multiple injuries. Naperville city spokeswoman Linda LaCloche says at least five people, including a woman listed in critical condition, were hospitalized in Naperville, where 16 homes were left “uninhabitable” after the late Sunday storm. – Advertisement –…

SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — Here’s a list of schools that have announced delays and/or closings for Monday, June 21. BLADEN COUNTY – Advertisement – BRUNSWICK COUNTY Brunswick County Schools will operate on a two hour delay for staff and students Brunswick Community College will open at 10:00 a.m. COLUMBUS COUNTY NEW HANOVER COUNTY PENDER COUNTY

(Photo: Pixabay) NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Storm Claudette is dumping heavy rain in the Florida panhandle and much of Alabama on a forecast track that will bring it to the East Coast by Monday. The storm had sustained winds of 40 mph and was centered about 75 miles north-northeast of New Orleans Saturday morning. – Advertisement – The accompanying rain and thunderstorms were far to the east. The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical…

Several boats damaged at Southport Marina after Hurricane Isaias. (Photo: Tela Diliberto/Tadphotos) SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — When Hurricane Isaias tore through Southeastern North Carolina in August 2020, one place that sustained a lot of damage is Southport Marina. Following the storm, boats, docks and other pieces of equipment in the water were in piles, and some pieces of the docks were even blown onshore. – Advertisement – A federal lawsuit has been filed by boaters…

Some of our communities are under a Level 1 risk for severe weather on Monday. That means that heavy rain and damaging winds will be possible in areas north and northeast of Raleigh.

Leland held its first hurricane expo on Saturday (Photo: Matthew Huddleston) LELAND, NC (WWAY) — The town of Leland hosted its inaugural Hurricane Expo Saturday at the Cultural Arts Center from 10:00 until 2:00. Multiple organizations were on hand to teach the public about hurricane preparedness, including members of the WWAY news team. – Advertisement – The goal of the expo was to make sure everyone knows what to do in the event of a…

Storms arrived close to sunset and continue to roll through the state into the midnight hour.

One small town in eastern North Carolina knows the impact flooding can have better than just about anywhere else.

(Photo: Pixabay) TEACHEY, N.C. (WCTI) — Duplin County residents encountered a tornado Wednesday evening which brought swirling wind and pouring rain for roughly five minutes. One man, Julio Fernandez, said his grandfather’s farm was impacted by the storm. – Advertisement – “I rode by at around 5, 5:10 — and it was still just raining hard and then about 20 minutes later after that then I get a call from my grandma saying that all…

NOAA is partnering with a company called Saildrone to launch 5 ocean drones along our coast (Photo: WCTI) SOUTHEASTERN NC (WCTI) — It’s now officially the start of hurricane season, and scientists are hard at work trying to keep us safe. With the help of game-changing new drones, they’ll be able to venture into depths they’ve never gone before, right into the eye of the hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, known as ‘NOAA,’…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season, so now is the time to begin reviewing your insurance policies and make sure that you have enough of the right coverage. George Trifolo, owner and agent at Trifoli Insurance Group, says a good place to start is page one, where you’ll find your dwelling coverage. This is the amount of money you would get to replace your home if there was a…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After a record breaking 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season with 30 named storms, the 2021 season officially begins today. One name from the 2021 storm list has already been used, with Tropical Storm Ana forming last month. – Advertisement – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is projecting another above average hurricane season this year. For more information on how to stay safe and prepared for this season, tune in to…

North Topsail Beach (Photo: WCTI) NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The 2021 Hurricane Season officially begins today, but one local town is getting help for a hurricane that impacted the region three years ago. The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved $13,696,691 to reimburse the Town of North Topsail Beach for beach restoration after Hurricane Florence in 2018. – Advertisement – Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program covers installation of 607,059 cubic yards…

Hurricane Dorian (Photo: NASA) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – As the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, officials in South Carolina are encouraging residents to get their supplies and plans in order, in case the state is impacted by storms again this year. Gov. Henry McMaster has proclaimed this week South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Week. – Advertisement – Emergency managers are urging South Carolinians to start making storm preparation plans. Those should include reviewing insurance policies and discussing…

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Barclay Goodrow beat Alex Nedeljkovic for the go-ahead goal at 12:39 of the third period to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 to open their second-round playoff series. Goodrow put the reigning Stanley Cup champions ahead for good when he shot from a sharp angle on the left side. – Advertisement – The puck skid underneath Nedeljkovic’s right pad as it lifted slightly off the ice near…