Wilmington North Carolina News

Although predictions for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season are still a month away, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center said the average number of storms has increased.

Much of the viewing area is under a Level 1 risk for severe weather Wednesday afternoon, and the Sandhills were upgraded to a Level 2 risk overnight.

NCDOT and contract crews cleared tornado debris from the Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood. (Photo: NCDOT) OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Crews with the N.C. Department of Transportation and a North Carolina contract company have completed cleanup from a tornado in Brunswick County last month. The tornado damaged much of the Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood and surrounding area on Feb. 15. Crews spent 14 days, including one weekend, removing debris from the private neighborhood and…

Rain could become more widespread across the area Friday and thunder and lightning are likely as temperatures reach the mid 80s.

Forecasters say they expect severe flooding and a tornado outbreak across the South through Thursday.

Damage left behind in the Ocean Ridge Plantation community following the EF-3 tornado on February 15, 2021 (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —Disaster relief response teams are still offering their services to those impacted by the deadly EF-3 tornado that touched down in Brunswick County, more than a month ago. The storm killed three people, and damaged homes in the Ocean Ridge Plantation community, and across Highway 17 on Old Shallotte Road, and…

TUSCALOOSA, AL (WBMA) — Jennifer Patterson was sitting inside her manufactured home Wednesday afternoon when she saw the tornado on her television screen crossing into Tuscaloosa County. Minutes later she would come face-to-face with the tornado, surviving thanks to a tree and a split-second decision. “I watched James Spann and when he said it’s coming into Moundville and if you’re in that polygon he said…be ready,” Patterson recalled, “I picked my purse up come to…

Although the threat for dangerous weather Thursday afternoon remains very high, North Carolina is no longer in the Level 4 risk zone for severe weather.

Flooding from Hurricane Florence washed out part of Old Fayetteville Road near North Brunswick High School in Leland on Sept. 17, 2018. (Photo: Kylie Jones/WWAY) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Eastern NC Recovery and Resilience Alliance leadership shared six legislative priorities on Thursday for the NC General Assembly to consider as it allocates funding and shapes policy to help the region better prepare for, respond to, and recover from flood events. Fund an actionable Flood…

Although the threat for dangerous weather Thursday afternoon remains very high, North Carolina is no longer in the Level 4 risk zone for severe weather.

Spring in North Carolina can be lovely, but severe storms can blow up in a flash, putting people and property at risk. The best way to avoid injury or damage is to be weather aware, so that when storms come, you know what to do.

After just three days in the classroom, elementary students in Durham Public Schools will return to learning remotely on Thursday. The cause is not the coronavirus pandemic, but the threat of severe weather.

Hurricane Dorian – Atlantic Ocean near Savannah, GA on Sept. 5, 2019. (Photo: NOAA) NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — The World Meteorological Organization’s Hurricane Committee has retired Dorian (2019) and Laura, Eta, and Iota (2020) from the rotating lists of Atlantic tropical cyclone names because of the death and destruction they caused. It also decided that the Greek alphabet will not be used in the future because it creates a distraction from the communication of hazard…

Dune erosion following Hurricane Dorian in 2019. (Photo: Tanner Barth / WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved more than $15.4 million to help the Town of Holden Beach restore sand and vegetation on the shoreline damaged by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Funds for the project cover restoration of 555,000 cubic yards of beach sand and stabilization of 80,000 square yards of dune vegetation. FEMA’s share for…

Classroom (Photo: ZUMA / MGN) BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Due to the threat of severe weather, schools in the Cape Fear are changing their learning plans for Thursday. Bladen County Schools will transition to remote-only learning for students on Thursday. The school district says teachers and staff will need to contact their immediate supervisor for work options as weather permits. Students are instructed to log-in to their Google classroom to complete their attendance and…

It’s not often that the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center issues a level 3 alert for severe weather in central North Carolina, and this week’s warning is worth our attention, WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said.

Temperatures will be cooler to start the week, and meteorologists are tracking our chances for rain and severe weather in the coming days.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Students participate in a tornado drill at Belville Elementary School on March 10, 2021. (Photo: WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — It’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week in North Carolina. Wednesday’s focus is tornadoes and how to stay safe when one hits. Schools across the area taking part in tornado drills. – Advertisement – Belville Elementary School is just one of several schools conducting drills. They are usually done in the hallway,…

Despite our weather’s unpredictability, spring is when we typically see some of our strongest storms and most impactful weather.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp PNC Arena, home of the Carolina Hurricanes (Photo: Ed Clemente / MGN) RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The Hurricanes scored three times in the third period on their way to a 5-2 win over Detroit Thursday. The victory sent the first crowd at PNC Arena in more than a year home happy. – Advertisement – Filip Zadina had the visiting Red Wings ahead a little more than midway through the first period,…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Flooding in western NC on Nov. 12, 2020. (Photo: WSOC) RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina state government and local governments in nearly 20 counties can receive financial help from Washington following heavy rains and flooding in November now that President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration. The White House announced on Thursday the declaration for the damage caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Eta. – Advertisement – The…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Quilt (Photo: Celeste Smith/WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A local quilting club is still looking to locate quilts scattered by the deadly EF-3 tornado that touched down 2 weeks ago. 28 quilts made by the Ocean Ridge Quilting Club were being stored at the home of Phyliss O’Connor, who was killed in the storm.  So far, nine have been returned. – Advertisement – Quilting groups in North and South Carolina…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Martin Necas scored 1:59 into overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Monday night. Brett Pesce and Vincent Trochek also scored for the Hurricanes, who won their second straight at Florida. Alex Nedeljkovic had a career-high 44 saves. Frank Vatrano and Eetu Loustarinen scored in the third period to give Florida the lead, and Chris Driedger finished with 24 saves. The Panthers have…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Governor Roy Cooper has signed a State of Emergency following the tornado that struck near Ocean Isle Beach in Brunswick County on Feb. 15. “The tornado caused significant damage, even demolishing some homes. I heard harrowing stories from survivors who were glad to be alive. The state will marshal all available resources to help people recover,” Gov. Cooper wrote in a release. – Advertisement – While…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Ross Colton scored in his NHL debut and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow also scored, and Alex Killorn had two assists in the third of four straight games between the teams. Vasilevskiy had his 22nd career shutout and first since March 2020 against Montreal. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — It’s been a week since a twister ripped through Brunswick County, and recovery efforts are still ongoing. Neighbors in the community are sharing their stories from the night an EF-3 tornado ripped through their neighborhood, killing three people and injuring ten. “One minute after I woke up, it all happened”, says 11-year-old Julissa Lujano. Her family’s home was damaged by the tornado. “My mom and dad were like yelling ‘everyone go…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Chick-fil-A (Photo: Mike Mozart / CC BY 2.0) LELAND, NC (WWAY) — The Chick-fil-A in Leland will be hosting a fundraiser Wednesday evening for those impacted by last week’s deadly tornado. The location at Leland Town Center, located 3571 Leland Town Center Drive, will be donating 20% of their sales between 5-8 p.m. to help with recovery efforts. – Advertisement – The Facebook event page states the money will be used…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Monday night marks one week since a deadly tornado ripped through Brunswick County, and recovery efforts continue. James Jarvis, executive director of the Cape Fear Area American Red Cross says the organization is maintaining a presence in Brunswick County, continuing to focus on tornado victims. – Advertisement – “We dispatched our disaster mental health teams into the field over the weekend,” Jarvis said. “We met with 15 families in the…

Pender County (Photo: Pender County) PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — Pender County Emergency Management urges motorists to stay alert to flooded roadways. “We will continue to monitor roads within Pender County to keep our citizens informed,” Carson Smith, Interim Emergency Manager, said. “We urge motorists if they see swift-moving water on the roadways to turn around, don’t drown.” – Advertisement – Smith said, based upon the weather forecast, some areas in Pender County will experience…

Instead, the two organizations say that those wishing to help out should consider donating to three other organizations. However, they stress, “Make sure you contact these groups first to ensure they can accommodate the type of donation.” The three organizations listed are:

Pender County (Photo: Pender County) PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — Pender County Emergency Management urges motorists to stay alert to flooded roadways. “We will continue to monitor roads within Pender County to keep our citizens informed,” Carson Smith, Interim Emergency Manager, said. “We urge motorists if they see swift-moving water on the roadways to turn around, don’t drown.” – Advertisement – Smith said, based upon the weather forecast, some areas in Pender County will experience…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Volunteers serve meals to tornado victims (photo: Peyton Furtado) BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — In the Ocean Ridge Plantation Community, volunteers gave out free food to neighbors and men and women working to clear debris. After the storm damaged more than 60 of the 800 houses there, neighbors united to help those in need. They served 300-400 people just for lunch, providing a light dinner as well. – Advertisement – Susan Kemmer…

Quilt (Photo: WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Following a deadly tornado in Brunswick County earlier this week, communities are joining together to return what’s lost. A quilting club in the Ocean Ridge plantation is asking for help finding quilts that were in a home destroyed by the twister. – Advertisement – The club stitched multiple quilts with love with hopes to soon donate them to a charity and help provide comfort and warmth to…

Phyllis and Rich O’Connor and Barry Glick (Photo: Beth Kelsey / BCS) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — We are learning more about the victims who died during the EF-3 tornado that hit Brunswick County late Monday night. Neighbors and family members are remembering Phyllis and Rich O’Connor who lived in the Ocean Ridge Plantation in Ocean Isle Beach. The married couple was killed in the tornado. – Advertisement – Phyllis’ niece says they will never…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Early Tuesday morning USAR Task Force 11 assisted Brunswick County with search for victims following tornadoes that touched down over night (Photo: Matt Davis/New Hanover Co. Fire Rescue) OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach is inviting you to donate to help tornado victims in Ocean Ridge Plantation.  Pelican’s Perch Bar and Grill is accepting gift certificates and gift cards for local business like grocery stores…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp The Cape Fear Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering assistance to those impacted by the Brunswick County tornado (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —The Red Cross is offering mental health services for victims of the tornado. Red Cross Disaster Mental Health workers have been reaching out to victims, speaking with them about their experiences after encountering the tornado. – Advertisement – Victims will be able to seek…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp (Photo: Brunswick County Schools) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Due to the threat of dangerous road conditions and potential flooding, Brunswick County Schools will be operating on a 2-hour delay on Friday. All staff and students, both in-person and remote, will operate on the 2-hour delay. – Advertisement – “This will give more time to access the conditions of travel for all parties in daylight conditions and ensure the safety of…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Flooding (Photo: Pixabay) BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Bladen County Schools says students and teachers will have remote-learning only on Friday due to the continued threat of flooding. All other Bladen County schools’ staff and employees will have the option to telework from home. – Advertisement – “Students will need to complete their attendance and classwork assignments from home; attendance will be checked and grades will be assigned, even with remote-only…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Bladen County Hospital on Dec. 16, 2020. (Photo: WWAY) RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has been notified by the federal government of continued delays in some shipments and deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine this week due to severe weather. Both first and second dose shipments have been impacted. – Advertisement – The department is working with the Centers for Disease…

Homes damaged by tornado on Feb. 16, 2021. (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An EF-3 tornado tore through southern Brunswick County late Monday night, killing three and injuring 10 people. Brunswick County Emergency Management says it’s going to be a long process to recover from this devastating storm. WWAY’s Sydney Bouchelle spoke with some who are going through that process and how they are leaning on their faith to get them through…

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Following Gov. Roy Cooper’s visit to the devastated Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood, some residents are sharing what they experienced during the tornado Monday night. Residents Bruce and Dee Stolba surveyed the community-wide damage for the first time on Wednesday, still shaken up by the ordeal. – Advertisement – “I really don’t want to see too much damage because it’s just too depressing,” Dee Stolba said. The two were in…

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Aerial shots of clean-up inside Ocean Ridge Plantation (Photo: CBS) OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County Chairman Randy Thompson declared a state of emergency in the wake of a deadly tornado near Ocean Isle Beach. It went into effective Wednesday afternoon. – Advertisement – This comes “in response to the loss of life, injuries, and properties damaged by the tornado that impacted the Ocean Isle Beach area early Tuesday morning.”…

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY/AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says the state must learn from the tornado that struck the community of Ocean Isle Beach with little or no warning, leaving three people dead and 10 injured. The Democratic governor toured the damages Wednesday and promised to rush state resources to help people rebuild. – Advertisement – Gov. Roy Cooper surveying tornado damage in the Ocean Ridge Plantation community on Feb. 17, 2021. (Photo: WWAY)…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An EF-3 tornado ripped through Brunswick County Monday night, killing at least three people and injuring 10 in the Ocean Ridge Plantation Neighborhood. Just down the road, one family is lucky to be alive after the tornado knocked multiple trees on their home. Mike Dispirito says he and his wife were asleep in their home on Bliss Road when their grandson was woken up by the storm and came into…

At least three people died when an EF-3 tornado touched down in Brunswick County before midnight, ripping through one neighborhood and leaving a trail of destruction.