Raleigh breaking news and weather, Raleigh North Carolina news today, WRAL 7-day forecasts, NC lottery updates. WRAL news in Raleigh, NC.

WRAL.com

WRAL meteorologists are tracking Tropical Storm Helene in the western Caribbean and its potential to impact North Carolina. The storm's projected path shows impact to central and western North Carolina later this week. Any potential impact to our area would likely come Friday and Saturday.

Helene now a hurricane; expected to intensify into Category 4 storm

I'm Wral. Meteorologist K Campbell Hurricane Helene is likely to undergo rapid intensification over the next 24 hours. It's moving north right now at 12 MPH. Still a category one hurricane likely now to strengthen into a category four hurricane on its approach to the Florida Big Bend region. Top winds now forecast to be at 130 MPH. It is possible that number could go up the track veers a bit to the west after that. But the bottom line here is that this is a massive hurricane. The initial tropical storm force winds extend about 400 miles when it makes landfall. So we're still likely to see significant impacts in western North Carolina. Tropical storm warnings are posted and that includes the North Carolina Mountains and Charlotte even hurricane warnings. Well, inland in Georgia, here's a closer look at the tropical storm warning for parts of North and South Carolina. Asheville included. Boone is not, but Charlotte's included as well. So let's take a look here at Futurecast, a cold front already bringing dangerous flooding to the mountains tonight, Thursday, we've got the cold front and the moisture from Helene that ramp up flooding risks to a high risk in the mountains. And we expect landfall to come Thursday evening, Atlanta in the direct path and this could be pretty close to hurricane strength even as far inland as North Georgia expect big impacts to travel and air travel there in Atlanta. For us. The worst of this comes very, very early Friday morning through the early afternoon hours. That's when we're going to see the worst of the rain, the winds and that tornado threat. But it does look like we'll begin to dry out by Friday evening. We'll have a much closer look on WRL news tonight at 10 and 11 at our local impacts and what to expect in the mountains. I also have a video on wrl.com with more on our local impacts. Go to our weather story.

2024 Atlantic hurricane season update

Path of Helene as of Sept. 25, 2024 at 5 p.m.

Top members of Robinson's state office to resign in wake of porn-site report

What's next for Mark Robinson's campaign after top staff resign 

'A case of epic tragedy': Father of Hedingham teen accused in mass shooting pleads guilty to misdemeanor firearm storage charge

Alan Thompson, father of Austin Thompson, accused Hedingham shooter

Hurricane Helene prompts WRAL Weather Alert Days, impacts felt from Triangle west 

Central NC rain totals Sept. 26-27, 2024

Trump 'needs to suffer the consequences' for Mark Robinson, Cooper says

Anti-Trump Burnout: The Resistance Says Itâs Exhausted

Lakes and roads closed in Wake County as heavy rains cause overflows and stranded drivers

Roxboro sinkhole

Wayne County deputy sentenced to six-plus years for drug trafficking and fraud conspiracies

Michael Cox

WRAL News+

WRAL News+ Live Thumbnail

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

A video of a Cary man jackhammering a trail entrance has gone viral on Reddit, sparking a debate over property rights.

Cary homeowner's jackhammering of trail entrance sparks dispute over its access

Michael Joseph Chadwick was arrested and charged with going armed to the terror of the public while walking around a Raleigh neighborhood pointing a rifle in various directions, according to police.

Police: Man pointed rifle while wearing body armor in Raleigh neighborhood

Michael Chadwick

Police are investigating a shooting incident at the Harris-Walz campaign office in Tempe, Arizona after workers discovered gunshot damage.


Shots fired at Harris-Walz campaign HQ in Arizona, authorities launch investigation

Shots fired at Harris-Walz office

According to North Carolina Education Lottery officials, The Powerball drawing will be moved from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. due to Hurricane Helene and will not be broadcast live on television or online.

Live drawing for $223 Powerball jackpot moved from Florida due to Hurricane Helene; will not be televised

Powerball

The safety requirements in the STURDY Act include changes safety advocates have wanted for years. At least 482 children have died in furniture tip-over accidents between 2000 and 2021.

New research shows how well new dresser tip over rules are working

Sturdy Act sets new safety standards to prevent tip-over accidents 

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 -- The constant barrage of baseless claims and lawsuits erodes faith in our democratic institutions and makes the job of election officials increasingly difficult.

COLUMN: The real threat to election integrity in North Carolina

North Carolina voter files ballot

Three people died and a child suffered life-threatening injuries from a crash in Orange County on Tuesday.



3 die when minivan hits tree in Orange County, child battling life-threatening injuries

Investigation underway following fatal Orange County accident on NC Hwy 86

Phase 1 of the Complete 540 project opened Wednesday at 6 a.m., giving drivers access to the new 18-mile stretch of roadway.

Complete 540: New 18-mile stretch of 540 open to drivers

New stretch of I-540 to open Wednesday morning

View WRAL's latest top news

MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM

95.7 That Station

99.9 The Fan

The blue sea dragon (Glaucus atlanticus) was recently spotted washing up on the Outer Banks.

Blue sea dragons make for interesting, yet venomous sight along Outer Banks

Blue sea dragon

This weekend, the IBMA World of Bluegrass festival will fill the streets with dozens of musicians on multiple stages for the final time. 



IBMA World of Bluegrass Festival takes final bow in Raleigh this week

2015 WOB Festival

Gen V: Teen Vaping in North Carolina airs this Thursday on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. on WRAL. Tune in to discover the influence of Big Tobacco.

WRAL Documentary: Gen V: Teen Vaping in North Carolina

Gen V: Teen Vaping in North Carolina

With hurricane season approaching, it's important to memorize coastal evacuation plans and routes in case of a severe storm.

Hurricane evacuation plans and routes for the North Carolina coast

evacuation routes

This atmospheric dance could pull more rain and stronger winds into western North Carolina Friday.

Ask the Meteorologist: Why the "Fujiwhara Effect" could spell more rain, wind for parts of North Carolina

The Fujiwhara Effect explained on wral.com

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's alleged rejection of the offers sowed doubt among some staff members, people familiar with the matter tell WRAL. His response in the wake of the report likely played a role in the exodus of members of his gubernatorial campaign staff, they said.

Robinson rejected offers of tech help to investigate posts on porn site, sources say

Robinson responds to concerns over positions on social issues

Don't Miss It

Alan Thompson - the father of the teenager accused in the Oct. 13, 2022, Hedingham mass shooting in Raleigh and the father of one of the victims killed that day - pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor storing a firearm in a manner accessible to a minor.

Father of accused teen shooter gets 1 year probation for failure to secure gun

Tar Heel Traveler: Sonker Trail

Protecting consumers form dangerous products sold by Amazon

Freed Israeli hostage describes capture by Hamas, says her husband is still being held captive

Aviva Siegel

Consumer Reports tests if dressers comply with STURDY Act

Retired Wayne County deputy sentenced to 6 years for drug trafficking conspiracy

Video Central

WRAL 6am News | September 25

6am Newscast Static

WRAL 9am News | September 25

9am Newscast Static

WRAL Noon News | September 25

12pm Newscast Static

WRAL 4pm News | September 25

4pm Newscast Static

WRAL 6pm News | September 25

6pm Newscast Static

WRAL 10pm News | September 24

10pm Newscast Static

North Carolina Supreme Court weighs future of CSX plant near Richmond County water source

Local News

Man charged in 2 Raleigh bank robberies, including PNC Bank and Wells Fargo

Duke Energy preparing for Hurricane Helene, urges others to do the same

Pro-Palestine protesters block downtown Raleigh traffic, demand ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war

House bill aims at parent worries about food additives

Nation/World

Suspect is detained after an explosion at a California courthouse injures five people

Thousands are pouring into Syria, fleeing worsening conflict in Lebanon

Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says

Harris is making a 'capitalist' pitch to boost the economy as Trump pushes deeper into populism

A renowned Raleigh artist is turning a pair of power poles at Dix Park into enormous sunflowers.

Sunflower tower installation begins at Dix Park

Dix pole sunflowers

UNC Asheville grad's peak fall color website a helpful guide for NC leaf peepers

Fall colors shine along Blue Ridge Parkway as foliage 

Top 10 fine dining experiences in the Triangle area

Fine dining, dinner with friends, fancy restaurant, dinner table

Foodie News: Big cookie news

Captain Cookie

Music icon Stevie Wonder brings 'Sing Your Song' tour to Greensboro: A night of healing and hope

Stevie Wonder is coming to Greensboro 

Wawa in Wilson: Wawa celebrates grand opening of 2 new Wilson locations 

Wawa

Out & About

Fact check: Is rape up 53% in NC since Josh Stein became Attorney General?

Politifact

Democrats, LGBTQ+ groups criticize Michele Morrow post

NC education candidate Michele Morrow falsely says the 'plus' in 'LGBTQ+' includes support for pedophilia

From eating dogs to Taylor Swift: Fact-checking Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's first 2024 presidential debate

Preview Trump and Harris' talking points ahead of the presidential debate

Weight-loss drugmaker CEO faces questions over high costs

NC Capitol

Ozempic, Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk questioned over high cost of weight-loss drugs

Under pressure to prove porn-site denial, Robinson hires law firm 

New way to play fuels another record year for NC Lottery sales, education distribution

Mucinex maker plans 289-job expansion in Wilson. NC approves $6.2M incentives package

Wake schools list $200M in HVAC needs, as school board weighs how to fix them

Education

NC State warns community about recent string of vehicle break-ins at residence hall, Greek Village, StateView Hotel

Meet more than 40 high schools at St. Timothy's Annual High School Fair

Wake County Schools to address backlog of maintenance issues at dozens of schools Tuesday

Reports: UNC student, Morehead-Cain scholar found dead in South Africa

Place your bets: The top 5 sports Americans wager money on

WRAL In Depth

Wife of Hamas hostage from North Carolina fights for his freedom

If Mark Robinson drops out of race for NC governor, his name will remain on ballots

Many measures make it tough to understand employment data

PCBs at NC State: Dorms, library, classroom buildings test positive

Skyler Brind'Amour plays first NHL game coached by his father, Rod Brind'Amour

WRALSportsFan

NC State, UNC and Duke release ACC men's basketball schedule

Here are the important dates for ACC women's basketball in the Triangle

Dozens of football games moved due to impacts from Tropical Storm Helene

New Lenovo Center renderings unveiled: Here's what the $1 billion redevelopment could look like

Predicted winners for all 160+ games in week 6 of the high school football season

HighSchoolOT

Undefeated Watch: Week 6 features 39 perfect teams, 4 matchups between unbeatens

The Starting 22: Best players from week 5 of high school football in NC

State senator says State Board of Education took too long to address high school NIL in North Carolina

Volleyball playoff projections for the 2024 postseason

WRAL spent months speaking to doctors, people who work for the state and a lot of young people. All said the same thing - kids are finding ways to get vape products, even those to0 young to purchase them legally.

Undercover: 10 of 12 vape stores sell to young woman without carding

Teen advocates at the Poe Center for Health Education in Raleigh said they don't think it is difficult for underage people to get vapes. 

How difficult is it for underage people to get vapes? WRAL goes undercover to find out

Vaping is addictive

Mark Robinson says he'll go 'after' CNN, but turns down offer of help to disprove its bombshell story

Two different families in Franklin County say BMB Contractors has caused them huge problems.The owner is now facing felony charges.

Contractor faces felony charges related to Franklin Co. home dispute

Two different families in Franklin County say BMB Contractors has caused them huge problems. 

Contractor 5 On Your Side recently investigated has been arrested

BMB Contractors 

WRAL Specialists

Northern Wake Senior Center works to curb fall frequency 

How unit pricing can save you money while shopping

Local mom, scientist authors viral study on baby food

5 kinds of Lactaid milk recalled for trace amounts of almond

5 On Your Side

Man killed outside barbershop Saturday in Clinton

Police investigate abuse allegations at Mount Olive nursing home

NC Supreme Court hears case Thursday of ousted clerk of court

Franklin County clerk who lost job after accusations of misconduct takes appeal to NC Supreme Court

Investigations

Donald Thompson: Choose trust over surveillance for human-centric hybrid work environment

Mucinex maker eyes 289-job expansion in Wilson. NC approves $6.2M incentives package

Grace Ueng: Take the civility test; learn how to earn an A

Ban sought for Chinese, Russian software and hardware used in autonomous vehicles on US roads

WRAL TechWire

NTSB engineer says carbon fiber hull from submersible showed signs of flaws

Video game actors' union calls for strike against 'League of Legends'

Almost all small businesses are using a software tool that is enabled by AI

Tearful Caroline Ellison gets 2 years in prison over her role in FTX fraud

Business

Mega Millions

Cash 5

6 questions to ask before getting a dog: Lessons from my sock-eating pup

Family

Unlock the power of daily gratitude: A simple practice for a happier life

Dementia care: Giving credit where credit is due

Local scientist finds unhealthy ingredients in kids' food

Baby powder sold in NC, on Amazon recalled due to asbestos

Top Amazon Deals: Blink security cameras, doorbells & more up to 64% off, Rustler Men's Classic Jeans only $13.98, Wireless Charging Station only $12.99, PLUS Prime Big Deal Days event Oct. 8-9

SmartShopper

Sam's Club 12-Month Membership only $15 (70% off)

Target Deals: Halloween makeup & accessories starting at $1.80 and costumes starting at $10, Throw pillows BOGO 50% off

New Swagbucks Swago game Sept. 23-30

Wendy's Boo! Books are back with 5 free Jr. Frosty coupons for only $1

Tar Heel Traveler: Porch farm townhouse owner in Cary 

Tar Heel Traveler: NC Arboretum in Asheville   

Tar Heel Traveler: Blackbeard

Tar Heel Traveler Special: Adventure lovers and thrill seekers

Tar Heel Traveler: Wilderness Run Alpine Rollercoaster

Tar Heel Traveler

Pfizer CEO: This is what Trump doesn’t understand about the pharma industry