North Carolina
North Carolina is first stop for nor’easter tracking up East Coast. See expected impacts
Nor’easters: How they form and why they trigger weather emergencies
Nor’easters are major storms that often push up the East Coast of the U.S. and bring major disruptions to the Northeast with snow, flooding and more.
A powerful nor’easter may wreak havoc on the East Coast this weekend, slamming the Carolinas on its path to the Northeast.
Marking the first nor’easter of the season, the coastal storm is known for strong and dangerous waves, high winds and heavy rainfall. In previous nor’easter events, the Outer Banks has experienced severe beach erosion, coastal flooding and dangerous surf conditions — sometimes literally knocking down homes and washing away sections of roadway.
As the storm tracks north, forecasters warn it could bring similar hazards to coastal communities from Virginia to Massachusetts, including power outages, travel disruptions and marine dangers with seas topping 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service office.
The exact track will determine which regions see the heaviest impacts, but residents along the East Coast should prepare for worsening conditions through early next week. A dry high-pressure system is expected to move in, bringing calmer weather and milder temperatures to North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 13–14.
“A coastal low will lift north along the Carolina coast through the weekend,” the National Weather Service office wrote in an area forecast discussion early Saturday, Oct. 11. “This system may bring rain to the North Carolina Piedmont and eastern Upstate late Saturday through Sunday as it passes by to our east. The low will continue to slowly track northeast along the Mid-Atlantic Coast early next week, with dry high pressure and above normal temperatures returning to the region.”
What is a nor’easter?
A nor’easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America that typically blow over coastal areas. These storms can occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most intense between September and April, according to the National Weather Service.
Nor’easters usually develop between Georgia and New Jersey, within about 100 miles of the coast, and generally move northeastward, reaching maximum intensity near New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. They often bring heavy precipitation — rain or snow — along with gale-force winds, rough seas and sometimes coastal flooding.
Potential impacts of the nor’easter in North Carolina
- Heavy rain: Several inches of rain could fall, reducing visibility and creating localized flooding in coastal and low-lying areas.
- Strong winds: Northeasterly gusts could reach 60 mph, especially near the coast, posing risks for power outages and downed trees.
- Marine hazards: Seas of 6 to 8 feet are expected along exposed waters east of Cape Fear and Winyah Bay. A Gale Warning is in effect, and small craft operators are advised to remain in port.
- Coastal flooding: Minor flooding is possible along beaches and low-lying areas — including downtown Wilmington and the lower Cape Fear River — as high tides combine with residual effects from last week’s full moon.
- Rip currents: A high risk is in effect along New Hanover County beaches through the weekend.
- Reduced visibility: Heavy rain and strong winds may create hazardous driving and boating conditions.
How much rain is expected? Rain forecast totals across the East Coast
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts several inches of rain in eastern North Carolina.
These are the estimated rainfall amounts for regions affected by the nor’easter on the East Coast through Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Eastern North Carolina to Southern Virginia:
- 2.5 to 5 inches
- Core areas near the coast show even 5 to 7 inches
Mid-Atlantic Coast
- 3 to 5 inches, especially near the coast
- Some isolated coastal pockets appear to approach 6+ inches
New York (Downstate and Long Island)
- 2 to 4 inches, heavier near the coast
Southern New England (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts)
- 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts possible near the southeast-facing coast
Eastern Pennsylvania & Upstate New York (east side)
- 1 to 2.5 inches, tapering westward
Coastal Southeast (South Carolina and Georgia):
- 1 to 3 inches, heaviest near the northern part of the South Carolina coast
Why is it called nor’easter?
It’s called a nor’easter because of the direction of the prevailing winds during the storm. In these systems, the winds along the coast usually blow from the northeast.
How do nor’easters develop?
The U.S. East Coast provides an ideal environment for nor’easters. In winter, the polar jet stream pushes cold Arctic air south across Canada and the U.S., then east toward the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Weather Service. At the same time, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic moves northward. The contrast between the cold land air and relatively warm coastal waters — kept mild by the Gulf Stream — fuels these storms, creating the strong winds and precipitation that define a Nor’easter.
Do Nor’easters always have snow?
No. Whether a nor’easter brings snow, rain, or a mix depends on the storm’s track and temperatures:
- Snow: Most common in the northern Mid-Atlantic and New England when Arctic air dominates.
- Rain: More likely in the Southeast and southern Mid-Atlantic, where temperatures are warmer.
- Mixed precipitation: Possible in areas near the transition zone, with sleet or freezing rain.
Even without snow, Nor’easters can still produce strong winds, heavy rain, rough seas and coastal flooding, making them dangerous storms regardless of the type of precipitation.
How do they differ from tropical systems? Nor’easters vs. hurricanes and tropical storms
Nor’easters are typically associated with colder seasons and form from a temperature contrast between cold Arctic air and relatively warm Atlantic waters.
Tropical storms and hurricanes form over warm tropical or subtropical waters, and predominantly develop in warmer months.
Nor’easters also have a larger wind field, while tropical storms have a well-defined eye with the strongest winds near the center.
North Carolina weather radar
North Carolina weather watches and warnings
Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city
Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network.
It’s Duke basketball against N.C. State at the Lenovo Center on Monday, March 2.
The top-ranked Blue Devils (27-2, 15-1 ACC) and head coach Jon Scheyer are set to take on the Wolfpack (19-10, 10-6) and first year head coach Will Wade at 7 p.m. on ESPN in Raleigh.
Duke is coming off its sixth-straight win, a 77-51 rout over Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium. N.C. State, which has lost four of its last five, is coming off a 96-90 road loss in overtime to Notre Dame. The Blue Devils sit atop conference standings while the Wolfpack rank sixth in the league.
The Blue Devils own the all-time series against the Wolfpack 83-52 and sit at 27-27 on the road at the Lenovo Center. Duke has won six out of its last four contests against N.C. State.
Here’s how to buy tickets for Duke basketball vs. N.C. State:
Duke basketball tickets vs NC State
Duke has established a ticket waitlist program for men’s basketball games. Fans can register for the waitlist at GoDuke.com. Those on the waiting list may have the opportunity to purchase tickets, when and if tickets become available. Iron Dukes members have the first opportunity to purchase available tickets.
As for the secondary market, ticket prices for Duke’s game vs. N.C. State start at $72 on StubHub and go upwards of $712. On VividSeats, tickets range from $62-$1,156 while ranging from $63-$432 on Ticketmaster.
To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub.
What time is Duke vs NC State?
Date: Monday, March 2
Time: 7 p.m. ET
The Duke basketball game vs. N.C. State game tips off at 7 p.m. ET from the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Where to watch Duke vs NC State
TV Channel: ESPN
Stream: Fubo
The Duke vs. N.C. State game will air on ESPN and can be streamed on Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at asnyder@usatodayco.com or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The North Carolina Tar Heels host the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday night at the Dean E. Smith Center in a monumental game for head coach Hubert Davis and his team. Here are quotes from this week that carry weight into this contest.
Seth Trimble’s Aggressive Mindset
- “The thing that I loved about him was he was thinking attack. He wasn’t coming off looking to pass,” Davis said. “One of the things that I’ve told him is when you come off a ball screen, you’re 100% thinking score, and then let the defense dictate whether you make a pass or you go to the basket. And Seth’s ability to be able to get downhill, he was able to score, draw fouls, just a huge difference maker for us.”
- “And I feel like now that Caleb [Wilson] has been out, he’s definitely been more of the go-to guy, and he’s had a lot more opportunities,” Henri Veesaar said. “I feel like he flipped a switch in the second half of Syracuse and that kind of just carried over, because he started being more aggressive, getting downhill, and that carried over into the next game.”
- “The coaches have been on me,” Trimble said. “I know I said it; I’ve said this over and over again, but they’ve been on me just to go and just finish, you know, coming off the ball screen, go, look to score, you know, don’t look to pass. Don’t look to make a play. Go to score. And then things are going to happen from that. And then I’m going to be able to kick out, going to be able to hit Henri [Veesaar].”
Defensive Fortitude
- “We were ready – just being ready on the defensive end and making them score over us,” Veesaar said. “I feel like on the defensive end most of the time, most of the games, we control the way we play, and as long as we don’t make any [mistakes]…today we were talking, communicating the whole game. So that was really good.”
- “It was a huge point to try and slow down Mikel [Brown Jr.] and [Ryan] Conwell,” Trimble said. “They’re two incredible guards, two of the best guards in the ACC. So, if you can shut them down, you can put yourself in a good position to win. Now, we didn’t necessarily shut them down, obviously, but efficiency wise, they didn’t have the best game, and it made it difficult. So, I think we did a good job.”
- “[With] so many gifted guys that can score in many different areas, one of the things that we wanted to do is just make every catch, make every move, make every shot difficult,” Davis continued. “And I just felt like throughout the game, they got worn down and tired. And I think that’s why a lot of their threes hit front rim or air ball, because of the fatigue.”
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GOLDSBORO, N.C. — A rancher in North Carolina had a nightmare experience in a car wash recently, when wire fencing sitting in the bed of his pickup truck got entangled in the rotating brushes.
Kyle Corbett shared video of the aftermath on TikTok, writing, “Lesson today is don’t go in the car wash with high tensile wire in the bed of your truck.”
“I needed to put up more fence for my cattle, so I purchased this reel of high tensile wire the night before, and the next day I went up town to take care of some business at the bank,” Corbett said. “I decided to run through the car wash ‘real quick’ and didn’t think about that wire.”
“I never use that truck for any work. I went to the car wash and the guys checked my truck out for safety. I went through and that’s when all hell broke loose,” he said.
“It wrapped up half of the fence in just a matter of seconds and beat the hell out of that car behind me. It sounded like a war zone,” he added.
“This is not good…yeah that’s terrible,” he says in the footage as he’s filming the mess.
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