North Carolina

Why is NC seeing so much rain and flooding in July?

Published

6 months ago

July 17, 2025

Why is NC seeing so much rain and flooding in July?

There has been a head-spinning amount of flooding this month, and not just in North Carolina.

It includes Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Missouri. The Texas floods were from the remnants of a tropical storm.

The flooding in central North Carolina was from Tropical Depression Chantal. In parts of Chapel Hill, there was more rain than we saw from Hurricane Fran in September 1996.

It doesn’t always take a tropical system to cause major flooding.

Earlier this week, New Jersey and New York saw one of the most intense storms in their histories. The flooding wreaked havoc on airports, subways, roads and more. The rain on the East Coast had nothing to do with a tropical storm.

Also, people don’t have to be in a floodplain to get bad damage. For example, 43% of repeatedly flooded North Carolina buildings are outside of designated FEMA flood zones.

WRAL News looked ot examine why we’re dealing with more dangerous rain events and why the state has had so much rain in July. Some areas of central North Carolina saw between 9 to 12 inches of rain, which is more than double some areas’ normal monthly rainfall.

Wet July: Storms leave behind damage in Sanford as residents grow concerned over torrential month

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell explained what’s happening. She said there is a lack of sinking air to prevent storms. Fronts have stayed north and west, so central North Carolina has stayed hot and humid.

“We’re just stuck in this hot, humid, stormy pattern, so we’ve got a lot of energy in these storms and they’re able to dump some pretty intense rainfall,” Campbell said.

The Atlantic hurricane season tends to peak on Sept. 10. Activity in the tropics tends to ramp up in August, Campbell said.

August and September tend to report more flash flood reports than July in central North Carolina, Campbell said.

Anyone who doesn’t have flood insurance because they don’t live on a floodplain should know that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s [FEMA] flood maps are outdated. They rely on 1970s data.

WRAL Climate Change reporter Liz McLaughlin has been digging into this and more.

“[The maps] really only take rivers and coastal flooding into account and really ignore small waterways that now overflow,” McLaughlin said. “And, it doesn’t take climate change into account, so people are really underestimating their risk.”

The trends over the past few decades have shown increasing intensity in rainfall.

Since 1970, rainfall intensity has increased by 21% in the Triangle. It means more rain in less time. It includes:

Rising temps: Warmer air holds about 4% more water vapor for every 1°F of warming, so downpours get heavier.

Record ocean temps: Oceans absorb 90% of global warming, super‑heating the fuel for systems like former Tropical Storm Chantal

The climate is changing – our maps and infrastructure may not be keeping pace – but North Carolina residents can.

There are still simple steps you can take right now, to make sure you’re prepared.

Contractors showed us what to look for around the house before a storm hits. WRAL has also highlighted weather tools and alerts you can sign up for to stay informed.

If the worst does happen, WRAL 5 On Your Side has extensive reporting on how you can respond.

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell and WRAL climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin contributed to this story.

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North Carolina

North Carolina, Bill Belichick officially name Bobby Petrino offensive coordinator

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

North Carolina, Bill Belichick officially name Bobby Petrino offensive coordinator

Bill Belichick is adding an experienced offensive coordinator to his coaching staff at North Carolina football for the 2026 college football season.

On Friday, Jan. 9, the Tar Heels announced the hiring of Bobby Petrino as the offensive coordinator. Petrino spent the last two seasons with Arkansas as the offensive coordinator and was promoted to interim head coach following the firing of Sam Pittman.

Belichick and the Tar Heels opted to part ways with former offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens on Dec. 12, after one season.

“We are fortunate to add an elite coaching talent in Bobby to our staff,” Belichick said in a statement. “He brings an extensive background and a proven record of success on offense at every level of football. Bobby has consistently built great offenses everywhere he has been, and we look forward to having him work with our program.”

UNC finished 2025 as one of the worst offenses in college football. Out of 136 FBS teams, the Tar Heels finished No. 131 in total offense and No. 121 in scoring offense (19.3).

Petrino brings previous head coaching experience to Belichick’s staff, with stops at Louisville (2003-06), the Atlanta Falcons (2007), Arkansas (2008-11), Western Kentucky (2013), Louisville (2014-18) and Missouri State (2020-22).

With the Cardinals, Petrino coached 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time ACC Player of the Year Lamar Jackson. Last season, the Razorbacks ranked 19th nationally in total offense with 454.8 yards per game.

“I’m extremely excited to join Coach Belichick and the Carolina football program,” Petrino said. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with one of the best at a storied institution. I cannot wait to get started in Chapel Hill alongside this coaching staff and student-athletes.”

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North Carolina

North Carolina Democrats, Republicans share takes on deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

North Carolina Democrats, Republicans share takes on deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina political leaders disagree heavily on what happened during a deadly-ICE involved shooting in Minnesota and what should happen next.

Several videos immediately circulated depicting the moment when Renee Good was shot in her vehicle by an ICE agent. Democrats and Republicans dispute what the video actually shows.

“I’m horrified and I’m disgusted,” Democratic state Sen. Sophia Chitlik said.

Chitlik represents Durham where immigration enforcement agents had a large presence a few weeks ago. She stated the video shows why she and some of her constituents don’t want the agents back.

“Get out,” she said. “We do not want ICE and CBP in our community. Not only do citizens and constituents not want them here, law enforcement doesn’t want them here. Our sheriff’s office, our police department, is very focused on keeping people safe, which is why crime is down. We manage public safety here.”

Matt Mercer, the communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, stated the video shows the ICE agent acting in self-defense.

“I think what you see is the video speaks for itself,” Mercer said. “You had a federal agent acting in self-defense after potentially being rammed by someone in a vehicle, which is unfortunate. You just hate to see what happened.”

Chitlik disputes the notion that the ICE agent acted in self-defense, saying, “It’s not true. The video shows that it’s not true. [Good] was trying to back up, not move forward, trying to leave the situation. They aggressively pursued her.”

Republicans continue to back the federal agents in Minnesota and across the country, arguing it’s what millions of Americans voted for.

“It’s already shown a lot of progress,” Mercer said. “You’ve had over two million illegals deported or self-deported from our country, which is exactly what President [Donald] Trump campaigned on.”

Some Democrats say immigration enforcement agents don’t make communities safer and instead incite violence fear.

“ICE is not here to keep us safe,” Chitlik said. “ICE is here to police us. ICE is here as an agent of fascism in our cities. They are not welcome here.”

Republicans say the immigration agents aren’t the ones raising tensions.

“Anytime you see people using an iPhone app and saying there’s ICE [in the area], it’s intentionally provoking and stoking tensions,” Mercer said. “You’d like to see people using their right to protest in a way that’s not obstructing the mission these hardworking officers are doing every day.”

CBS 17 has not heard of any plans for the immigration agents to return to North Carolina.

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North Carolina

Current State of North Carolina’s Quarterback Room

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Current State of North Carolina’s Quarterback Room

This offseason has been a complete quarterback carousel for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Following the debacle of last season, it was obvious that North Carolina needed to make significant changes at quarterback.

In Bill Belichick’s first year as the head coach, the Tar Heels compiled a 4-8 record and failed to qualify for bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. There were several factors that led to the lackluster season, but the production and effectiveness from the quarterback position may take the cake, in terms of who should be blamed the most for North Carolina’s failure of a season.

In 11 games, Gio Lopez threw for only 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions while attempting 6.7 yards per pass. If you don’t possess a quarterback who can operate at a competent level, it is virtually impossible to compete with that player leading the offense.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) is hit after a pass by Duke Blue Devils defensive back Caleb Weaver (3) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

As mentioned, it was apparent that the front office had to venture out in the transfer portal to potentially find their next quarterback. The Tar Heels did land 2026 four-star quarterback recruit Travis Burgess, but it was not yet known that both Max Johnson and Bryce Baker would enter the transfer portal this offseason.

Not to mention, after recently announcing that he will return to Chapel Hill in 2026, Lopez became the latest quarterback to leave the program, making his intentions of entering the portal known on Monday. On Wednesday, Lopez officially signed with Wake Forest.

Here is what general manager Michael Lombardi and North Carolina’s front office orchestrated to add depth to the quarterback room, and how those moves affect that position.

Assessing the Tar Heels’ Quarterback Situation

Sep 20, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) looks to throw a pass during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With three total quarterbacks leaving the program, North Carolina needed to orchestrate multiple moves to improve the depth at the position. While the Tar Heels landed Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O’Neill, those two additions do not instill a ton of confidence in a room lacking experience and proven production.

In four years, Edwards Jr. has one year of starting, while O’Neill has eight appearances over the last two seasons. The Texas A&M transfer possesses more potential than Edwards Jr., as he still has three years of eligibility remaining. There is more room to grow for O’Neill. We already know what Edwards Jr is: a backup quarterback who could play here and there as a starter.

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Miles O’Neill (16) hands the ball off Texas A&M Aggies running back AJ DiNota (41) before a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Au’Tori Newkirk played sparingly during his freshman season in 2025, and Burgess will be a true freshman in 2026. None of these quarterbacks provide both high potential and experience. They possess one or the other, which could become problematic if no one establishes themselves as the clear-cut starter.

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