Solar eclipse, sunny day flooding, heat death: Here are the stories you read the most in 2024

As the year comes to a close, WRAL looks back at some of the most-read stories of 2024. 

Most viewed stories on WRAL.com in 2024 

When tech giant Google announced its annual Year in Search trends, early voting — the how, where and when, and the April solar eclipse showed up at the top of the list. 

WRAL data shows 2024 total eclipse: Where, when and what we’ll see in North Carolina was the  story viewed most often this year on WRAL.com. The story focused on where viewers could best see the eclipse and the science behind why and how it happens. 

NC State researchers find increased fecal contamination in coastal waters due to sunny day flooding was the second most viewed on WRAL.com this year. The story covered a study conducted by NC State University researchers examining how “sunny day flooding” or high tide flooding impacted water quality at the coast. 

Public health officials warned about a rare and dangerous substance discovered in Eastern North Carolina this fall, after finding traces of bis sebacate or BTMPS in street drugs. UNC-Chapel Hill Street Drug Analysis Lab said this drug is a chemical with industrial uses like UV-blocking components often added to plastic and candles. Public officials said that people can tell if street drugs are laced with BTMPS if they smell like bug spray or plastic.

A Fayetteville postal worker who died after spending hours in mail truck on 95-degree day was the fourth most viewed WRAL story in 2024. Wednesday “Wendy” Johnson was a 51-year-old woman who died in June. Her family members said her death was heat-related recalling how she often complained of the heat while working. OSHA investigated her death as heat-related. She worked for the postal service for over 20 years. 

Since 2024 was also an election year for the US, many searched for election information in the fifth most viewed online story in 2024. 2024 election results: Presidential election, Congressional balance of power included visual data from local, state and national races. 

Most viewed videos on WRAL.com in 2024 

The most viewed video of 2024 has expired from WRAL.com. In it, a Florida infant was seen communicating with their deaf grandparents using sign language. WRAL.com archives content based on copyright, so this video, which came from a Florida affiliate, is longer available on our site.

A 97-year-old grandmother also broke the internet with a viral video on TikTok, and was WRAL’s second most viewed video for 2024. This grandmother Is not politically correct, but her spiciness got her the attention of major food brand, Nestle Carnation. The video racked up almost 2 million likes on TikTok.

The third most viewed video from 2024 was a woman dies after being hit by police truck at Myrtle Beach. The story reported by WRAL affiliate WMBF said a woman died in Horry County after being hit by a county police truck on the beach. The woman was trapped under the patrol car and later died from her injuries. 

Makayah Page was one of two survivors of a quadruple shooting in Wilson. The WRAL exclusive “‘Can’t get the image out of my head’: Woman recalls escape after murder-suicide killed 6-year-old girl” had her recounting the horrific last moments with her best friend and her best friend’s daughter. 

The fifth most viewed WRAL video from 2024 is video from an accident on I-440 West that closed multiple lanes for several hours after a wrong-way driver caused a crash on between Capital Boulevard and Brentwood Road. Westbound lanes were closed for hours, and four people died.