This year marks the 67th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.


WRAL Tower Lighting: WRAL lights the towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

WRAL Tower Lighting

Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

WRAL welcomes Michelle Mackonochie to evening newscasts beginning Jan. 5

Michelle Mackonochie

What it really means to be an organ and bone marrow donor

Stay up to date with WRAL’s Imelda news and reporting coverage

Imelda News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

Imelda Coverage

Cleanup is underway in Buxton after eight homes collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean.

<p>RAIL NETWORK, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR MILITARY TRANSPORT. WHILE CLEANUP IS UNDERWAY ON THE OUTER BANKS AFTER 8 HOMES COLLAPSED, COLLAPSED INTO THE OCEAN. HURRICANES UMBERTO AND IMELDA DID NOT DIRECTLY HIT THE EAST COAST, BUT THEY STILL CAUSED SOME PRETTY SERIOUS DAMAGE. LIZ MCLAUGHLIN SHOWS US THE EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP THE DEBRIS. &gt;&gt; THIS IS THE SCENE FOR MILES HERE IN BUCKS. AND YOU CAN SEE LUMBER PIECES OF INSULATION, EVEN APPLIANCES, JUST STREWN ABOUT THE BEACH. THERE'S ACTUALLY A SMELL, A MIX OF SEWAGE AND FUEL. JUST A REMINDER THAT THESE HOMES DON'T JUST DISAPPEAR INTO THE OCEAN WHEN THEY FALL. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE OUT THIS MORNING STARTING TO PICK UP THE PIECES IN ITS COLLAPSE. SCATTERED DEBRIS ACROSS THE BEACH. SOME SEPTIC TANKS SUBMERSION SPILLING SEWAGE. SOME OF THAT WASHES INTO THE SURF THREATENING MARINE LIFE WHILE THE REST HAS TO BE HAULED A WAY TO LANDFILLS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CREWS ARE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL STILL WORKING DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE REMNANTS OF THESE HOME STRETCH WELL BEYOND COLLAPSE SITES AND RESEARCHERS ARE USING LIGHT OUR AND OTHER TOOLS TO TRACK HOW EROSION IS RESHAPING THE COASTLINE. AND MORE HOMES ON THE BRINK BEHIND ME. THE DECK AND HIGHLANDS AND A SCREEN ONE SHIFTING FROM JUST LAST NIGHT AND WITH MORE KING TIDES IN THE FORECAST NEXT WEEK. &gt;&gt; MORE HOMES COULD FALL HERE</p>

Cleanup underway after eight Outer Banks homes collapse

Photos captured in October 2025 show damage to Outer Banks homes in Buxton after a tropical system and nor'easter pounded North Carolina's coast. All photos courtesy of Donny Bowers.

Photos: Storms pound Outer Banks, some beachfront homes collapse

Buxton oceanfront homes on verge of collapse

The track of Imelda looks odd, doesn't it? We show you the storm that took an eerily similar and unique path.

FIGHT IN THE NC CAPITOL SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE. TROPICAL STORM IMELDA SHARP TURN HAS SOME ASKING. IS THAT RARE METEOROLOGIST CHRIS MICHAELS SHOWS US THE ONE STORM THAT TOOK IN EERILY SIMILAR PATH END HAS AN EERILY SIMILAR NAME OR IN A IT WAS LIKE 4 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING THAT I STARTED FREAKING OUT IN THE WEATHER CENTER. >> WITH ELIZABETH, SO THE RED LINE THERE IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR WITH IMELDA AND THE WHITE LINE IS WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO SEE. LOOK AT THE GREEN LINE THERE. THAT WAS HURRICANE HUMBERTO IN 2019. SO WHEN WE SAW THAT KIND OF SIMILAR PATH THERE IT WAS. I DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT TOOK US BY SURPRISE. BUT YES, THEY WENT UP. >> FROM THE BAHAMAS AND THEN MADE THAT SHARP RIGHT TURN. NOW, HURRICANES DON'T JUST MOVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE RIGHT THERE. GROUPS OF THUNDERSTORMS AT THEY GROW INTO A TALL PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE UPPER-LEVEL WIND WILL BLOW IT EVERY WHICH AND SO WHEN WE HAD UMBERTO IN 2019, THERE WAS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN U.S.. THERE WAS A LOW PRESSURE OVER AREAS LIKE A MEAN AND THE MARITIME PROVINCES THAT HELPED TO TAKE IT OUT TO SEA THIS TIME AROUND. WE'VE GOT A DIFFERENT HURRICANE UMBERTO, WHICH IS HELPING TO TAKE TROPICAL STORM IMELDA AWAY FROM THE EAST COAST OF THE U.S. STILL SOME REMNANT IMPACT HERE IN AT THE COAST. ELIZABETH IS GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH BOTH THOSE IMPACTS COMING UP IN LESS

Ask the Meteorologist: How unusual is Imelda's track?

Ask the Meteorologist: How rare is a right turn near the East Coast?

High rip currents, high surf, coastal flooding and strong wind gusts are expected along and off the coast.

Rip currents and wind: Humberto, Imelda impact North Carolina coast while miles away

Key impacts off the North Carolina coast the next few days

WRAL reporter Monica Casey reports live from Carolina Beach on Tuesday morning as Tropical Storm Imelda pulls away from the coast. The coast will deal with rip currents and high surf for the remainder of the week.

IMPACTING SOME PARTS OF THE NORTH CARE SKILLS. MAY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THIS MORNING WRAL'S MONICA CASEY LIVE ON CAROLINA BEACH THIS MORNING. MONICA WIND GUSTS AND RIP CURRENTS. SOME OF THE CONCERNS THERE. >> GOOD MORNING. THAT'S RIGHT. THOSE ARE CONCERNS. BUT THE GOOD NEWS RIGHT NOW, NO RAIN JUST YET. IT IS A LITTLE GUSTY. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE BEHIND ME, THE OCEAN IS CERTAINLY PRETTY ROUGH. NOW, GOVERNOR SIGN DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY ON SATURDAY ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA TO MAKE SURE THE ASSETS THAT THE STATE'S DISPOSAL WE'RE READY TO ASSIST IF NEEDED HERE ALONG THE COAST. HE SAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE IN SOUTH KOREA YESTERDAY, HE'S ACTIVATED THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION AND THE NATIONAL GUARD. >> COMBINED IMPACT OF THE 2 STORMS AND BERTHA AND ALL THAT. MAY CAUSE ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. COASTAL FLOODING OCEAN OVERWATCH. WIND GUSTS AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THIS WEEK. >> IN THAT PRESS CONFERENCE I AND SAYS THEY ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORST BUT HOPING FOR THE BEST LIVE IN CARY BEACH, MONICA CASEY, WRAL, NEWS. >> AND YOU CAN TRACK THE RAIN. THE TROPICS IN REAL TIME. BE SURE TO TURN ON PUSH NOTIFICATIONS. SO YOU RECEIVE ALERTS ABOUT WHETHER CHANGES

Wind gusts, rip currents threaten NC coast as Imelda pulls away

Carolina Beach

Ask the Meteorologist: How often do tropical systems make a hard right turn from the East Coast?

A water spout was seen in the ocean at Emerald Isle on Monday. Meanwhile, surfers used the rough seas from Tropical Storm Imelda to catch a wave.

Waterspout seen off coast at Emerald Isle

Waterspout at Emerald Isle

The North Carolina coast is breathing a sigh of relief as Tropical Storm Imelda shifts course and is no longer expected to make landfall in the area.

Tropical Storm Imelda shifts away from NC coast, flooding and rip current risks remain

Red flag warning

Tropical Storm Imelda is expected to bring dangerous rip currents and surf to the East Coast to start the week. Heidi Kirk checks out conditions at Ocean Isle Beach.

<p>ANY STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 12 JUST KIND OF A NASTY DAY TO BE AT THE NORTH CAROLINA. BUT YOU SAID IT RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET'S STICK WITH THE COAST FOR JUST A MOMENT BECAUSE THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO BRING SOME DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND SURF. &gt;&gt; FOR MOST OF THE EAST COAST FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WRAL'S HEIDI KIRK JOINING US LIVE ON OCEAN ISLE BEACH. NOT SEEING A SOUL IN SIGHT. HEIDI, TALK TO US ABOUT CONDITIONS YOU'RE SEEING THERE. &gt;&gt; WELL, DAN LENO, WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT HERE WITHIN THE LAST 15 MINUTES OR SO. AND I'M TAKING IN THE CONDITIONS RIGHT HERE ALONG WITH YOU. WE DROVE FROM RALEIGH RIGHT HERE TO OCEAN ISLE BEACH ON TAKING A LOOK OUT HERE AT THE SURF FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. YOU KNOW, WE SAW QUITE A BIT OF RAIN ON OUR WAY DOWN HERE AND VERY MUCH OUT IN THE OCEAN RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IT MAY LOOK CALM. IT IS ROUGH AND CHOPPY. IN FACT, WALK WITH ME. THIS LAYER ACTUALLY SEE A RED FLAG OUT HERE IN THE DISTANCE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS. NOW, JUST THE LAST COUPLE HOURS WE ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE MAYOR OUT HERE. HE SAID THAT SHE'S KIND OF BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF. OF COURSE, JUST DAYS AGO THAT FORECAST SHOWING THAT IMELDA COULD HIT OUR NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. BUT OF COURSE, NOW THAT RISK IS MUCH REDUCED HERE. NOW THEY SAID THAT THE BIGGEST CONCERNS OUT HERE ARE BOTH THOSE RIP CURRENTS, OF COURSE, A CHOPPY SERVE A POTENTIALLY SOME COASTAL FLOODING. AND AS ALWAYS, THAT BEACH EROSION, OF COURSE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE CONDITIONS. IN FACT, ON FRIDAY, IT HAD A LOT OF TIME OUT HERE MAKING SURE THAT THE GENERATORS WERE READY, THAT THEY WERE MONITORING THE STORM EXTREMELY CLOSELY. AND THEY SAY AT THIS POINT THEY HAVE NOT YET LET THEIR GUARD DOWN. &gt;&gt; WELL, WE ALL KNOW HURRICANES CAN BE QUITE UNPREDICTABLE. SO WE ALWAYS TRIED TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. SAME CAT. ONE STORMS TO UNEXPECTED DAMAGE ANNOUNCING CAT 3 STORMS. VERY LITTLE DAMAGE AT ALL. SO WE TRY TO BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER MOTHER NATURE BRINGS US. &gt;&gt; YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY STICKS WITH ME SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN A CAT ONE STORM, THEY'VE SEEN EXTREME DAMAGE. AND THAT IS WHY SHE'S PREACHING THE MESSAGE. MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. DON'T GET OUT HERE IN THE WATER, EVEN THOUGH IT COULD WORK, ALL THAT CAN BE CHOPPY. AND OF COURSE, THEY'VE GOT THOSE RED FLAGS OUT HERE ON THE BEACH FOR REASONS. BUT AT THIS POINT, STILL BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF THAT IT IS NOT</p>

NC beaches prepared for possible erosion, rip currents, coastal flooding from Imelda

Ocean Isle Beach

WRAL News talked with Jeff Brooks, a spokesperson from Duke Energy, about how emergency preparations have changed since Imelda's forecasted impact has lessened.

AFFECT YOUR MORNING COMMUTE. >> THIS MORNING, WE KNOW EMELDA WILL NOT MAKE LANDFALL, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP UTILITY CREWS FROM PREPARING FOR THE WORST. JEFF BROOKS FROM DUKE ENERGY IS HERE WITH US THIS MORNING TO TELL US ABOUT HOW THEIR PLANS ARE CHANGING ALONG WITH THE FORECAST. JEFF, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE. WE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS PREPARED. WHAT DID PREPARATION EFFORTS LOOK LIKE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE REALLY COULD HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT STORM FOR THE CAROLINAS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WATCHING FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS AS THE STORM TRACKS WERE SHOWING IT COMING ASHORE IN THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. THE SOUTH CAROLINA. WE REALLY SAW SCENARIO THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND SIGNIFICANT WHEN GAS FOR FOR A VERY LONG CAREER. COMMON REMINDED ME A LITTLE BIT OF HURRICANE FLORENCE WITH ITS SLOW PACE THAT IT WAS GOING TO DO AND SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, SEEING IT TURN, GO BACK OUT TO THE EAST. THE CHANGE IN THE TRACK REALLY WAS WITH A GAS AND IT WAS FANTASTIC FOR US. BUT WE DID CERTAINLY PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD HAVE SEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT OUTAGES. YEAH, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU GUYS MAKE THE CALL TO TO CHANGE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING? YOUR PLANTS? >> WELL, WEATHER FORECAST YOUR GAME AND MODELING SYSTEM AND THAT HELPS US KNOW WHERE TO PLACE CREWS AND EQUIPMENT AHEAD OF THE STORM. AND SO WE WE'RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT TIME PERIOD WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO START ALLOCATING RESOURCES, FIGURING OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE IMPACTS. THERE WAS ALWAYS THE CHANCE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE STORM. CUT HER. BUT IT WAS ONLY REALLY WHEN I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND AND AMERICA STARTED TO PULL ON IT THAT WE BEGAN TO SEE THAT CHANGE. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CAROLINAS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE CELEBRATING OR OBSERVING THE ANNIVERSARY OF OF HEALING FROM LAST YEAR. AND IT JUST WASN'T THE TIME THAT WE WANTED TO SEE ANOTHER STORM COME THROUGH HERE. AND SO THIS WAS THIS IS A REALLY GOOD THING. >> YES, IT ABSOLUTELY WAS. AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO. JEFF BROOKS

Few power outages expected: Duke Energy thankful for Imelda track change 

Duke Energy

Much of North Carolina is bracing for the rain Tropical Storm Imelda will bring to the state. Crews began preparing for the worst-case scenario last week long before we knew what the storm would do. 

THE MINIVAN DRIVER MAY FACE AND THE CONDITION OF THE OTHER DRIVER. THIS MORNING. WE ARE WATCHING THE TROPICS AS EMAIL THAT TURNS UP THE COAST. WE ARE NOT EXPECTING LANDFALL WITH THIS, BUT WE WILL STILL FEEL EFFECTS FROM THE STORM WRAL'S. LAURA LEVINE IS OUTSIDE WAKE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HEADQUARTERS THIS MORNING. LAURA IMELDA COULD BRING RAIN TO PARTS OF OUR STATE. WE'RE IN A GOOD MORNING. SO HERE AT THE WAKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE DOWNTOWN PREPARATIONS BEGAN DAYS AGO. AND ALTHOUGH THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THIS STORM HAVE LESS AND THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LET THEIR GUARDS DOWN JUST YET. GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN ISSUED A STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER THE WEEKEND AND THIS HELPS ELIMINATE RED TAPE AND ALLOWS FOR MORE RESOURCES AND RELIEF TO GET TO THOSE WHO MAY NEED IT THE MOST AFTER A STORM PASSES. >> NOW THE STATE HAS ASSEMBLED 11 SWIFT WATER RESCUE CREWS WITH MORE THAN 100 PERSONNEL TO URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE SPECIALIZING IN BUILDING COLLAPSES AND NEARLY 400 STATE NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS ARE ON STANDBY. >> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE POISED AND READY TO QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY RESPOND TO ANY OF THE NEEDS THAT THAT COME ABOUT FROM ANY OF OUR COUNTIES OR MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE. >> AND OVER THE WEEKEND, I SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA AMERICAN RED CROSS WHERE THEY WERE COORDINATING EFFORTS HERE IN RALEIGH PREPARING TO SEND PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE STATE. THEY HAVE ABOUT 120 VOLUNTEERS ACTIVATED AND BEING READY TO BE DEPLOYED WHEREVER NEEDED. LAURA LEVINE,

NC emergency crews brace for Imelda's impact

Imelda's path went from a projected South Carolina landfall to out-to-sea in a matter of a day. Why?

Ask the Meteorologist: Why Imelda's path went from landfall to seabound

Ask the Meteorologist: Why the track of Imelda changed

Emergency crews across NC brace for rain, flooding from Imelda's outer bands

Lake Johnson

Tropical Storm Imelda formed Sunday in the Bahamas, and there are a lot of questions about it. Let's help answer those in this Q&A.