Professional experience:

Almost 2 years as a multimedia reporter at GrepBeat, a Durham-based tech media company. Prior to that, I was at UNC-Chapel Hill, working on my experience through hands-on field reporting courses and at The Daily Tar Heel.

Spoke on a panel for incoming Report for America journalists about reporting in North Carolina, specifically at the intersection of tech and business.

Journalism has the power to cause disruption, harm and good, and hold those of the highest standards accountable. It is our job not only as a newsroom, but also as curious human beings to provide truth and justice to the real stories of the communities we serve and beyond. It’s important to me to cover as much truthful details from all sides as possible, because even though it’s one story on, say, one shooting… this one story can impact thousands, sometimes millions, of people’s lives and thought processes to how we interact as people.

Hussman School of Media and Journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill, with minors in anthropology and screenwriting

Hobbies, interests, community involvement:

I enjoy seeing concerts/live music, going to the movies and theaters, visiting new places, writing various versions of one screenplay, reading, collecting art and occasionally dabbling in photography and videography (now that I just got a new camera!).

My dad passed away when I was 16, so in my most immediate family, I have my mother and my brother, who is almost 20 years older than me (yes, we have the same parents). His wife, my sister-in-law, has been in my family since I was 3, so I consider her a sister. They have a son and a daughter.

Likes best about North Carolina:

I love the niche things that we have: Cookout, Bojangles, Cheerwine, Harris Teeter, mountains and beaches 3 hours both ways if you’re coming from the Triangle … which is arguably the most exciting part of the state. Most importantly, I love the communities. Despite being in the south, NC has some of the most diversity across the state. And because we have our niches that we like to stick to, the community feels even more tightknit.

Most memorable assignments:

The Wake Forest magnet school recognized for its military support was the most memorable because it was the first ever story assigned to me, and I didn’t even know I was assigned to it day-of! It was the first story where I was able to take a company car and my first time on the field reporting for WRAL News, which was a deeply personal accomplishment for me. Though it was last minute to me, I felt like I was truly a part of a reporting newsroom and did my duty and my best to represent our reporting well.

Kaitlyn Dang

Katilyn Dang

WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels speaks to Erik Heden, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service office out of Morehead City, about the historic snowfall that the North Carolina coast experienced during this weekend's winter storm. 


TROUBLES TODAY INTO THE DAY TOMORROW. SO JUST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, GET OUT AND DO A LITTLE BIT OF SLEDDING. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME KIDS ON THE COAST THAT PROBABLY HAVE NEVER BEEN SLEDDING OR EVEN MAYBE SEEN THIS KIND OF SNOW CHRISTMAS HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ON THE COAST. IT'S CRAZY. THE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT HAS BEEN SEEN ALONG PORTIONS OF THE COAST. IF YOU SEE A FOOT USUALLY EXPECTED. &gt;&gt; IN THE MOUNTAINS. BUT JOINING ME THIS MORNING IS ERIC HAYDEN. HE IS THE WARNING COORDINATION, METEOROLOGIST WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT MOREHEAD CITY. ERIC, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. &gt;&gt; GOOD MORNING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US ON. AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU GUYS FOR FOR ALL YOU DO. FIRST OFF, HOW ARE YOU HOLD? NOT BUY. NO, THIS IS NOT A COMMON STORM SYSTEM FREE GUYS, BUT HOUSE EVERYBODY AT THE OFFICE TOO. &gt;&gt; IT'S BEEN STRESSFUL AND CERTAINLY SOME LONG DAYS, AT LEAST WE DON'T HAVE TO EVACUATE KNOW. SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS. JUST HUNKER DOWN. STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND WILL BE FINE. BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY AND THESE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS JUST TREMENDOUS IN OUR PART OF THE STATE. &gt;&gt; AND, YOU KNOW, ERICA, I WANT TO KIND OF ASK YOU A QUESTION. DID YOU KNOW? THANK YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN MORE SNOW NOW THAN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON. &gt;&gt; I DID NOT KNOW THAT. I DID KNOW THAT FOR MOST OF US. THIS IS THE MOST SNOW SINCE CHRISTMAS 89. SO HISTORIC. KNOW, I KNOW. I KNOW SOME FOLKS ARE DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR AREA, BUT IT DUMPED IN OUR AREA AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH IT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. SO IT'S OR SNOW FOR THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE FOR SURE, FOR SURE. YEAH. I MEAN, WE HAVE THE GRAPHIC UP HERE. YOU GUYS AT LAST CHECK WERE AT 15 INCHES WHETHER THE SNOWDRIFTS ALIKE. &gt;&gt; MULTIPLE FEET AND SNOW AMOUNTS ON NEWBERN. A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE RALEIGH AREA HEAD DOWN TO FEATURE CRYSTAL COAST AND THEY GO TO NEW BERN 17 TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW. &gt;&gt; THAT'S NOT AN RISK. SO TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SNOW IN OUR AREA. AND WE HAD WIND EVEN INLAND FROM THE COAST, 30 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR. SO BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS FOR MANY HOURS YESTERDAY WE HAD SNOWFALL RATES OF MORE THAN AN INCH PER HOUR. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU USUALLY HEAR ABOUT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, SYRACUSE, BUFFALO, AND IT WASN'T JUST AN HOUR OR 2. MULTIPLE HOURS YESTERDAY TO THE EVENING AND THE OVERNIGHT. JUST TREMENDOUS SNOWFALL RATES DOWN IN OUR AREA AND IT WAS AN ISOLATED. I HAD THOSE AMOUNTS OF ABOUT A FOOT TO A FOOT AND A HALF FOR MOST OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, ESPECIALLY AS YOU HEAD EAST OF I-95. &gt;&gt; I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS A STORM THAT'S GOING TO BE IN TEXTBOOKS. I HAVE A FEELING MOVING FORWARD JUST FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, SPEAKING OF YOUR PERSPECTIVE AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS STORM, WHAT DID IT SOUND LIKE TO YOU GUYS IN THE OFFICE? &gt;&gt; VERY, VERY WINDY. YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, SEE OUTSIDE THE THE SNOW BLOWING OFF THE ROOF. WE KNEW WOULD BE HISTORIC. I WAS A KID THAT GREW UP WITH SNOW. YOU PROBABLY GOT INTO IT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER EVENT. I REMEMBER THE BLIZZARD 93 AND MARYLAND BLIZZARD OF 96. I START KEEPING A JOURNAL OF OUR 6 HOURS SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BECAUSE IT DID LOOK HISTORIC. SO WHILE SOMETHING TO BEHOLD TO SEE SNOW PLOWS AND CARTERET COUNTY, THAT'S OUR HOME COUNTY FOR THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT. THE SNOW PLOWS DOWN HERE. JUST INCREDIBLE. BUT YOU COULD HEAR THE WIND, NOT HURRICANE FORCE AT OUR OFFICE, BUT YOU COULD DEFINITELY HEAR THE STRONG WINDS. BUT WE DID HAVE SOME GUSTS ON THE COAST. LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE HIGHEST GUSTS, SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS ON THE OUTER BANKS. 58 AT OREGON INLET. JEANNETTE HERE, OF COURSE, OUT ON THE WATER. BUT 64 MILE PER HOUR STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE GUSTS FOR OUR FRIENDS ON THE COAST. BUT &gt;&gt; VERY IMPRESSIVE SNOW. AND WE WANT TO REITERATE LIKE YOU ALL CONTINUE TO DO. WE'RE NOT DONE. WE'RE DONE WITH THE SNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLEAR OUT TODAY, BUT IT'S GOING TO STAY COLD FOR A WHILE. SO THIS SNOW IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. &gt;&gt; DEFINITELY. IT'S A MARATHON. I'M SURE FOR YOU GUYS AT THE OFFICE. IT AGAIN. ERIC HAYDEN WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT, MOREHEAD CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME IN THE YOU GUYS

Chris Michaels

Historic snowfall settles on NC coasts with 15 inches, more than Spokane, Washington

historic snow at the beach. Jan 31-Feb. 1, 2026

Our Pet of the Day is Corolla, a sensitive and gentle 7-month-old lionhead-mix rabbit. To learn more about her, check out trianglerabbits.org.

COURSE, AND ONLY MANDATORY STAFF SHOULD REPORT TO WORK AND THE SAME GOES FOR NC STATE. IT'S TIME NOW FOR OUR PET OF THE DAY TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOU SCREEN. SHE IS A CITIZEN OF AND GENTLE 7 MONTH-OLD LION HEAD MIX RABBIT COROLLA, OCEAN ICE, A KOALA. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHATEVER GOES AND DOES NOT LIKE NOISY ENVIRONMENTS LIKES TO RUN AROUND ROOMS AND CLIMB FURTHER. SO ADORABLE AND SHE IS SPAYED AND VACCINATED TO LEARN MORE

Pet of the Day for Feb. 1, 2026

During WRAL reporter Caroline Yaffa's live shot, plow trucks were seen finally hitting the interstates in Wake County to plow off the thick but soft snow. 

COMING IN THIS MORNING. I THINK IT WAS GOING 20 MILES AN HOUR. THE SAME. YEAH, ABOUT 25 JUST TAKING IT. SLOW AND STEADY. SO WE DO HAVE SEVERAL CREWS THIS MORNING THAT ARE MONITORING THE ROADS IN THE TRIANGLE. WE HAVE KILLING OFF OF OVERLOOKING I-40 ALONG LAKE ERIE LOOP. CAROLYN, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING RIGHT NOW IS THE SUNCOAST. >> YEAH. GOOD MORNING. SO WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE AROUND 5 THIS MORNING AND WE'VE SEEN CARS DRIVING REALLY SLOWLY BEING AS CAREFUL AS POSSIBLE. AND NOW ACTUALLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING CREWS PLOWING THE HIGHWAY ON I-40 MAKING SURE THAT IT'S SAFE. >> FOR A DRIVE. ARE ON THEIR WAY GOING THROUGH. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AT 7.35. THAT WE'VE SEEN THESE CREWS, PEOPLE ARE STILL DRY DRIVING SLOWLY. WE HAVE SEEN LOTS OF CARS THAT HAVE HAD ICE ON THE TOP AND SNOW. SO WE'RE JUST REMINDING EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DUSTING OFF THEIR CARS BEFORE THEY HEAD TO THE ER. >> ON THE ROADWAYS IF THEY NEED TO. BUT IF THEY DON'T NEED TO SAYING OFF THESE HAZARDOUS ROADS ARE IMPORTING GET THAT HOT CUP OF COCOA HOT CUP OF COFFEE AND JUST SAY OFFICE. YOU CAN LIVE IN RALEIGH, CAROLINA, OFF A WRAL NEWS. >> WELL, CAROLINE, THANK YOU, LYNN. PERFECT TIMING AS SHE WAS REPORTING SEEING THOSE

Plow trucks are finally hitting the interstates in Wake County!

The Yamuna River in Delhi, India--considered sacred and worshipped by millions--has become so polluted that it cannot be treated, leaving residents without clean water. CNN's Rhea Mogul reports. 

This sacred site for religious rituals has become a dumping ground for waste. The Yamuna River is a holy site to millions, but it also supplies roughly 40% of Delhi's water, and it's covered with toxic foam, currently too contaminated to treat, causing a severe water shortage to the city. And in some parts where residents received limited supply, the water was dirty. The city produces almost no water of its own, relying heavily on neighboring states to share. The whole fight is about life. And if you will not get the clean water, the clean air, you're going to die. The government is pointing to new sewage treatment plants and cleanup initiatives, but critics think those efforts are just a band-aid that failed to address the root cause. The Delhi Water Board said supply was restored. Last week, however, some neighborhoods continue to report shortages. Without drastic changes. They say the cycle won't be temporary. It will become Delhi's permanent reality. 30%.

Toxic foam covers sacred river, leaving Delhi without water

INDIA: TOXIC FOAM COVERS NEW DELHI SACRED RIVER

Nearly half of Americans prefer to have a pet over having a kid. With the cost of raising kids in the last two years rising 25% to about 300,000, while earnings have risen just 3%- are kids still affordable for most Americans.



A growing number of young Americans are choosing to have pets over children. You slept the day away. They're my family. They're my children. As the fertility rate in the US in 2024 hit a record low amid fears of economic instability, some Americans are stepping outside the box with their family makeup. My mom calls my dogs her grandchildren. Raven McGregor, who lives in Atlanta, runs a popular Instagram page with her two bulldogs, Sunny and Zoey. They are a part of the family, and we don't look at it as if they are pets. They are truly like little kids with four legs. For her, there is no difference between a furry kid and a human one, and she's not alone. 43% of Americans say they prefer to have a pet as their kid over human children, according to a recent Harris poll. It was simple math right now. I'm already stretched thin, so adding that child, adding that burden is a barrier for me. On TikTok, West Virginia natives. Sarah Morris showcases life with her fiance and their two cats, Sunday and Banana, but she says even the finite number of brand partnerships she gets in addition to her 9 to 5 as a flight attendant, leaves little left over. When people feel secure, they make long-term plans. When times of instability, they have to adapt, and adapting for us right now looks like shifting what the meaning of family looks like. Do you want to explain to people why you're in trouble? Yeah. 17 of them, buddy. I have 4 cats and I have 4 kids. And which one do you think is easier to take care of? Janie Budnick is the cat, or chief of all things for four-legged kids, St. Louis's largest staff in-home pet care service. Budnick has seen the family dynamic between people with pets shift in the last 30 years. Really, it's that shift of they are treated as children. Children, if you do some of the comparison between what a healthy pet, uh, what the expenses are during a year versus a healthy child, I mean, you can be 10 times plus. A Brookings study from 2022 found that it costs about $300,000 to raise a child in the US from birth through age 17, which includes basics like housing, food, clothing, and education. By comparison, pet costs were roughly $27,000 over 18 years. What would be your advice to someone who doesn't know if an actual human kid or a pet kid is best for them? If anyone has a hesitation about having a human child, please do not. You have to really be confident in yourself that that's the path that you want to take to, to bring a human into this world.

Nearly half of Americans prefer to have a pet over children

PETS OVER KIDS

Get ready for a warmer winter as La Niña makes a comeback, bringing below-normal snowfall to our area. 

La Niña returns: Expect warmer winter with below-normal snowfall for Triangle in 25-26

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. 

Kaitlyn Dang

Recent Work

Watch · 3:42Historic snowfall settles on NC coasts with 15 inches, more than Spokane, Washington

Watch · 0:25Pet of the Day for Feb. 1, 2026

Watch · 1:09Plow trucks are finally hitting the interstates in Wake County!

Watch · 1:28Toxic foam covers sacred river, leaving Delhi without water

Watch · 2:46Nearly half of Americans prefer to have a pet over children