There has been a huge difference between the rain we saw before Helene vs. the rain we’ve seen since Helene. Rain before vs. after Helene in Raleigh, NC It turns out there was a study in 2022 at Florida State University that looked into how often drought developed after landfalling tropical systems. Since 2000, it’s actually rare to see that happen. Four of the 30 storms analyzed had a flash drought develop shortly after their…

NEWLAND, N.C. (AP) — The Cartner family had known since last year that one of their farm’s Christmas trees would be headed to the White House this winter. But then Hurricane Helene struck, unleashing a deadly deluge across western North Carolina, including Avery County, where Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm has stood for decades. Though the farm lost thousands of trees to a mudslide, many more survived, including a 20-foot conical tree that dwarfs most of…

Almost two months after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on western North Carolina, Republican lawmakers grilled officials Monday over how they handled two other hurricanes that hit the state several years ago. As part of a massive $3.9 billion Helene recovery package presented to legislators last month, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper included a request for more money to finish housing projects in eastern North Carolina still pending from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in…

It’s that time of year again! The WRAL Severe Weather team is ready to unveil our winter weather predictions. This year, we analyzed four key factors: La Niña, accumulated cyclone energy or ACE, Siberian snow cover and climate trends. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there’s a 60% chance that a La Niña will develop later this month. In La Niña years, storm tracks stay north of our region and keep the…

Nearly two months after Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, the region is still hurting with a long road to recovery. While efforts to rebuild are underway, many local businesses and their employees continue to face significant challenges. Ed Haag, a restaurant worker in the area, said the economic strain has been felt deeply by both workers and residents. “I see a lot of people who are scared, and there’s a bit of desperation,”…

Nearly three months after Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, the region is still hurting with a long road to recovery. While efforts to rebuild are underway, many local businesses and their employees continue to face significant challenges. Ed Haag, a restaurant worker in the area, said the economic strain has been felt deeply by both workers and residents. “I see a lot of people who are scared, and there’s a bit of desperation,”…

By Curt Anderson, Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 home games at the New York Yankees’ nearby spring training ballpark amid uncertainty about the future of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field, Rays executives told The Associated Press. Stuart Sternberg, the Rays’ principal owner, said in an interview that Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is the best fit for the team and its fanbase. At about 11,000 seats, it’s also…

By MATTHEW COLES, Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Bjugstad scored his second goal of the game to cap the Utah Hockey Club’s three-goal flurry in a 2 1/2-minute span of the third period in a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. Jack McBain and Mikhail Sergachev also scored for Utah, which won at home after losing three of four on the road. Michael Kesselring had…

ERWIN, Tenn. (Gray News) – A body that was buried in North Carolina was washed into Tennessee due to flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in September, according to Erwin Police Chief Regan Tilson. Officials said the body was buried in Whitson Cemetery in Yancey County in 2006. The flood waters washed the body to Unicoi County. Details about the identification of the body were not released. Helene brought widespread devastation to western North Carolina, causing…

We’re learning more about Helene’s historic impact about seven weeks after it blew through North Carolina. A recent report from the North Carolina Forest Service says that 27% of the affected forestland had at least some tree damage. In this report, they say this may be the most damaging wind event since Hurricane Fran in 1996 and Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Helene’s wind damage according to the North Carolina Forest Service The North Carolina State…