North Carolina

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

Published

12 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they don’t live on a floodplain should know that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s [FEMA] flood maps are outdated.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

NC Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Day results for July 4, 2026

Published

47 minutes ago

July 5, 2026

Press Room

The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Saturday, July 4, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from July 4 drawing

17-38-46-50-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 4 drawing

Day: 0-2-0, Fireball: 8

Evening: 3-0-5, Fireball: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 4 drawing

Day: 1-1-9-3, Fireball: 9

Evening: 7-0-2-1, Fireball: 5

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from July 4 drawing

11-22-24-25-29

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Double Play numbers from July 4 drawing

13-20-28-32-43

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 4 drawing

17-20-37-40-43, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.

For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:

Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.

When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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North Carolina

How the hot weather affects people taking SSRIs

Published

11 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

How the hot weather affects people taking SSRIs

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — An intense heat wave will continue through the Fourth of July weekend. Highs will be around 100 degrees, with feels-like temperatures as high as 110 degrees. Daily record high temperatures may also be challenged or even broken.

The combination of intense sunshine and prolonged heat will create dangerous conditions for anyone spending extended periods outdoors. And as the temperatures soar outside, people across Central North Carolina do what they can to stay cool, especially when they have to head out. One homeowner who experienced a hours-long power outage in Durham said it was miserable without his air conditioning. Another said it feels like the heat has intensified in North Carolina.

“I grew up in North Carolina, but I don’t remember waves being quite this intense.”

To compound the misery, ABC11’s Forecast Team says there will be little overnight relief, with temperatures only falling into the mid-70s throughout the heat wave, and the air quality is deteriorating.

Basically, right now, Central NC is a hot, muggy, sweltering, poor-air-quality mess. And it’s expected to last into early next week.

With somewhat stagnant conditions, smoke from Saturday night’s July 4th fireworks could linger into Sunday, something to keep in mind, especially for those who are more sensitive to reduced air quality.

The record-breaking heat has led to organizers tweaking some July 4th plans for the safety of performers, staff, and attendees.

Download the ABC11 App for breaking news and weather alerts

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North Carolina

Three wildfires continue burning across Eastern Carolina

Published

21 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Three wildfires continue burning across Eastern Carolina

The above video is our WITN+ livestream and may not reflect the content in this story.

EASTERN CAROLINA, N.C. (WITN) – With the extremely hot and dry conditions we’re seeing across Eastern Carolina, three wildfires continue to burn.

The North Carolina Forest Service says the latest one is in the Cypress Creek area of Duplin County, where 200 acres have burned. That fire is 10% contained.

In Hyde County, there are two active wildfires, one that has consumed 662 acres and is 83% contained, and another that has burned five acres and is zero percent contained.

Both of those fires are near the Lake Mattamuskeet area.

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