Charlotte North Carolina News

It has been over a month since the storm ravaged western North Carolina. NORTH CAROLINA, USA — According to the North Carolina Forest Service, the potential for increased wildfire activity in western North Carolina is above normal in November in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The Forest Service says the increased fire risk can be attributed to the amount of debris on the ground in the wake of the storm. They also say damage caused…

Officials still don’t how how many people are missing as the death toll from the floods continues to rise. MADRID, Spain — Three days after historic flash floods swept through several towns in southern Valencia, in eastern Spain, the initial shock was giving way to anger, frustration and a wave of solidarity on Friday. Many streets are still blocked by piled-up vehicles and debris, in some cases trapping residents in their homes. Some places still don’t…

BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Crews are working to contain a fire in Watauga County, N.C. No further information has been released. No injuries have been reported. It’s not known how the fire started. More information will be released when it is available.

Cleanup continues one month after Hurricane Helene and Catawba Riverkeeper is looking for volunteers to help with the effort this Saturday, Nov. 2. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One month after Hurricane Helene, folks are still cleaning up the mess the storm left behind. It’s a task that’s no stranger to Catawba Riverkeeper, a group that organizes cleanups regularly to keep our waterways clear on the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. They’ve been working all month long to clean…

Previously, North Carolina Emergency Management kept track of missing people with a registry. It’s now up to individual counties. BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, North Carolina Emergency Management was keeping track of the number of missing people in western North Carolina. It utilized information from NC 211, where people could report an unaccounted person. However, that registry has since been closed. State emergency representatives told WFMY News 2 this about…

Previously, North Carolina Emergency Management kept track of missing people with a registry. It’s now up to individual counties. BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, North Carolina Emergency Management was keeping track of the number of missing people in western North Carolina. It utilized information from NC 211, where people could report an unaccounted person. However, that registry has since been closed. State emergency representatives told WFMY News 2 this about…

The woman’s body was found on Oct. 23, nearly a month after she was reported missing from the Buck Hill Campground. AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — A Tennessee woman who was reported missing from an Avery County campground during Hurricane Helene was found dead nearly a month after the storm, officials said.  The Avery County Sheriff’s Office was conducting a search operation along the North Toe River on Oct. 23 when they found a woman’s body…

The reopening comes after weeks of repurposing facilities to help affected residents. ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — Ashe County Schools resumed classes on Tuesday following an extended closure due to Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on the North Carolina mountain community.  Students returned on Oct. 29 on a two-hour delay schedule, which will continue through Nov. 1, while staff will report at regular times. The reopening comes after weeks of repurposing facilities to help affected residents. “Our…

The reopening comes after weeks of repurposing facilities to help affected residents. ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — Ashe County Schools resumed classes on Tuesday following an extended closure due to Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on the North Carolina mountain community.  Students returned on Oct. 29 on a two-hour delay schedule, which will continue through Nov. 1, while staff will report at regular times. The reopening comes after weeks of repurposing facilities to help affected residents. “Our…

“Typically, we serve about 500 families in a month, and we have distributed about 2,500 boxes of food in the last month,” Sally Loftis explained. AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — WCNC Charlotte is continuing to help make an impact for Helene victims as the cold weather months set in.  For the past couple of weeks, WCNC Charlotte has run the Share the Warmth campaign to collect warm winter clothing and other key needs. On Friday, our team made…

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that National Guard soldiers and FEMA personnel will remain “actively engaged” in the region. ARLINGTON, Va. — Active-duty military forces will soon begin winding down their support of Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in North Carolina. The Pentagon’s spokesman said Tuiesday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is “incredibly proud of their selfless service and sacrifice.” The devastating tropical cyclone slammed part of the Tar Heel state in late September, killing…

Johnny Peterson was among the Impact Plastics employees who died Sept. 27 after Helene’s flooding hit Erwin, a small, rural town in eastern TN. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The family of a Tennessee employee who was killed by catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company he worked for, arguing that workers were forced to stay at their posts even when managers knew conditions were becoming dangerous. Johnny Peterson was…

Multiple apple orchards in York County say their crops were destroyed in April. YORK COUNTY, S.C. — The aftermath of the hail storm that blew through the Carolinas in April is still being felt now months later. Multiple apple orchards in York County say their crops were destroyed. “It did a lot of damage, not only to buildings and vehicles – but also unfortunately to our apple crop this season,” Matthew Gusmer, a manager at the…

“The need far exceeds our ability to help people, but we’re trying to scale as fast and responsibly as we can,” Leeth Davis said. LANSING, N.C. — Lansing in Ashe County was decimated by Hurricane Helene, and in the weeks since, the community is trying to rebuild and transition. Tommy and Diana McClure count themselves among the lucky ones, but their family lost pretty much everything. That’s a common story you’ll hear as you walk…

Hurricane Milton was one of the strongest hurricanes on record, and it went through a classic cycle. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Milton was a historic storm, and one of the strongest on record. It also showed a textbook example of a phenomenon called the eyewall replacement cycle. Let’s raise that Weather IQ. Why this happens A well-defined eye is the sign of a powerful hurricane. The strongest winds and heaviest rain surround this area, which…