Wilmington North Carolina News

North Topsail Beach (Photo: WCTI) RALEIGH, NC (News Release) — The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved $3,505,603 to help the Town of North Topsail Beach renourish its beaches and restore dune plants destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program covers restoring 45,734 cubic yards of beach sand and 240,000 native dune plants along 27,000 linear feet at the north- and south-end beaches in Onslow County. – Advertisement…

Firefighter uniform (Photo: Pixabay) LUMBERTON, N.C. (WWAY) — The state’s Forest Service says that moderate drought conditions continue to impact about half of North Carolina, Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Greenville and Wilmington. While the week is expected to remain hot and dry, an approaching cold front and thunderstorms may bring some relief to the region for the weekend. – Advertisement – N.C. Forest Service says that there were 25 fires in 12 of the 26 counties…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Coach Rod Brind’Amour figured the puck would eventually have to bounce the right way for his Carolina Hurricanes. Fittingly, his captain was ready when it did. – Advertisement – Jordan Staal scored off a rebound at 2:03 of overtime to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night, pushing Carolina to a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series. Read more here.

Storm debris in Wilmington from Hurricane Isaias on August 4, 2020. (Photo: WWAY) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says he’s doubling U.S. emergency spending to help communities prepare for hurricanes and other extreme weather events. Biden traveled to FEMA headquarters in Washington on Monday to get an update on preparations for the hurricane season. – Advertisement – The $1 billion in U.S. emergency spending is a small fraction of what the U.S. spends on…

(Photo: WWAY) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The town of Kure Beach held hurricane information sessions, hoping to help prep residents for the soon approaching hurricane season. Two sessions were held at town hall on Friday and Saturday, and were led by the Mayor Pro Tem, David Heglar. The sessions detailed what to do in case evacuation is needed, where to take shelter, and how to plan in case you choose not to evacuate….

Hurricane season started more than a week early for 2021, when Subtropical Storm Ana formed late Friday night. Although the season officially doesn’t start until June 1, Ana caps a seven-year streak of named storms before that date.

A disturbance off the East Coast could become the first named storm of hurricane season. Although the season officially doesn’t start until June 1, the Storm Prediction Center says there is a 90 percent chance for a sub-tropical storm to form in the next five days.

IVANHOE, NC (WWAY) — This year’s blueberry season began with a devastating hail storm in the state. Farmer, Willie Moore estimates the unexpected storm affected about 40 percent of North Carolina’s blueberry crop. – Advertisement – Moore owns several farms in Pender, Bladen, Duplin, and Sampson counties. His Ivanhoe farm was gearing up to harvest four million pounds of blueberries this year. After the storm left crater like marks called hail scars on some of…

Federal scientists on Thursday forecast that 2021 could see in the range of 13 to 20 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher in the Atlantic. Ben Friedman, the acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said, “an above-normal season is most likely.”

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and the Nashville Predators begin their Stanley Cup playoff series Monday. The Hurricanes won the Central Division for their first division crown since winning the Cup in 2006. – Advertisement – This marks the first time the franchise has reached three straight postseasons since the franchise relocated to North Carolina in 1997 from Hartford, Connecticut. The Predators are in the playoffs for the seventh straight season. That came…

(Photo: WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —The Ocean Ridge Plantation community came together to hold a candlelight vigil to remember the victims, and honor the survivors of the deadly EF-3 tornado that tore through the community 3 months ago. “We have received a lot of inquiries from our community to host a vigil, a healing type of vigil for us all to come together, and that’s exactly what this is,” said Donna Wald, Co-Chair of…

The Carolina Hurricanes will allow for increased capacity at PNC Arena for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, generally the time where the team’s fans have been at their most passionate.

“Mother’s Day will be perfect for brunch or lunch plans, whatever you have planned,” Zach Maloch said.

(Photo: WWAY) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —Nearly three months after a deadly tornado tore through Brunswick County, repairs continue. As Ocean Ridge Plantation residents rebuild their homes from February’s tornado, the Cape Fear Chapter of the American Red Cross says recovery efforts have entered the next phase.  Executive Director, James Jarvis, says its Disaster Mental Health Volunteers met with 97 people hours after the storm, to help them get back on their feet. Jarvis also…

WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said we’ll see a narrow line of rain move through this afternoon. The systems are isolated and not as powerful, so not everyone will see storms.