25 NC counties are under alert, including Cumberland, Harnett, Moore, Sampson, and Lee counties.

We also hear how a man helped a driver escape before an Amtrak train collided with his car. We’re also tracking waves of storms bringing isolated tornadoes and hail threats. Watch WRAL-TV at 5 p.m., and search for these and other stories on WRAL.com.

On WRAL at 5: Graduation ceremony security changes at UNC 🎓 What students must bring and the items no longer allowed inside

Many traffic stops on Interstate 95 in North Carolina start with speeding, but a simple infraction can yield weapons, drugs, even a wanted criminal. On WRAL-TV at 6, WRAL Investigates rides with the I-95 interception team, one of the most dangerous jobs in law enforcement.


WRAL Investigates at 6: Drugs, money, speed. Ride along with law enforcement teams on one of the deadliest highways in America

More than a dozen former employees say understaffing at Brynn Marr Hospital contributes to what they describe as a dangerous place for patients and employees. Hospital officials say allegations of violence, sexual assaults, overmedication and lack of mental health therapy are unfounded.

Former employees say short-staffed NC psych hospital rife with violence, abuse

Brynn Marr Hospital

It's that time of year when your child will be taking end-of-grade tests or EOGs. What are EOGs and how can you help them be better prepared?

End-of-grade tests: Everything you need to know about these annual exams

Student testing 

A rare shower or even a thunderstorm is possible at any time Monday before temperatures return to the 70s on Tuesday, said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner.

"Any rain we do see will be short-lived, and showers will be widely scattered," Gardner said.

Monday will see a return of sticky weather, and temperatures will top out in the mid-80s. In the heat of the day, some may even see a thunderstorm or two.

A cool front crosses the state Monday from the northwest, and it is a the source of the instability. Behind the front are cool, breezy days with plenty of sunshine through to Friday.

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

<p>A meteorologist, Elizabeth Gardner, checking out what's happening. We are tracking this cold front. We've been watching it all week. This is the same one that did a lot of damage across the plains and Midwest. And you can still see that there's a lot of activity out ahead of this front. We've had a few thunderstorms even early this morning in the mountains of North Carolina and a couple of sprinkles showing up in our southern counties this morning. But the best chance for strong to severe thunderstorms come later on this evening, we do have a level to risk for severe storms both today and tomorrow. It's a little bit of an unusual weather pattern for us. It's the usual threats, damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, heavy rain and hail, but it's the timeline of this. That's a little unusual. We'll see that beginning this evening tonight lasting overnight and into the first half of the day on Thursday, typically these storms will die down after midnight and then redevelop in the afternoon. Instead, this is going to be an ongoing overnight and tomorrow morning kind of event. So keep that in mind again, damaging wind, hail, isolated tornadoes maybe even a little isolated flooding with these waves of storms and maybe even some spotty power outages. So here's a look at Futurecast. We're looking at mostly cloudy skies for today, some sunshine trying to peak through here and there. Um, once we get into the evening, the thunderstorm to begin to develop and you can see those 7 to 9 o'clock continuing there at midnight and overnight, look at that 6 a.m. with a good chance for scattered storms and then some waves on and off through the morning with it eventually moving out by around lunchtime or so, uh, looks mostly dry for the afternoon. Couldn't rule out an isolated shower or thunderstorm. And then another round most likely on Friday afternoon and evening check in what it looks like across the area. We get a mix of sun and clouds for us. Temperatures in the mid seventies, it is really warm and sticky. It feels just like July out there. We'll see a high of 92 and Raleigh 91 in Durham and 93 in Fayetteville. Our heat index mid to maybe even upper nineties in some places. This afternoon, we're sitting at steamie right now. We'll jump to tropical tomorrow making it feel also like low to mid nineties. And then after that, a nice break as we get into the weekend, so less heat, less humidity, a pretty weekend for Mother's Day. But for tonight and for much of the day tomorrow you're going to need to be weather. We make sure that you're tuning in to us on TV, as we're tracking these storms for you.</p>

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Severe risk Wednesday

Jodi Leese Glusco

Spotty showers possible through Monday

7-Day Forecast

Wednesday is a WRAL Weather Alert Day, with a Level 2 risk for severe storms in the evening.



WRAL Weather Alert Day: Isolated tornadoes, damaging winds & hail possible Wednesday evening

WRAL Weather Alert Days Wednesday & Thursday

An Amtrak passenger train on Wednesday hit two unoccupied cars on the tracks near the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Beryl Road in Raleigh.


Amtrak passenger train hits cars blocking tracks in Raleigh, no one injured

Train tracks blocked at Hillsborough Street in Raleigh after crash

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced a clear bag policy and other restrictions for its upcoming commencement ceremonies.


UNC enforces clear bag policy for graduation, will require graduates to show ID card

Old Well at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

State house lawmakers voted almost unanimously Wednesday afternoon on a bill that would add a broad definition of antisemitism to state law. It now goes to the state Senate for further debate and a potential vote there. 



NC House votes overwhelmingly to approve bill defining antisemitism

North Carolina Legislative Building 

The billboard industry wants to be able to cut down more trees along North Carolina roads, including some trees that are protected under state law. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a similar bill in 2019, but GOP lawmakers are pushing it again now.

NC billboard industry once again heads for political fight with tourism advocates, environmentalists

Judge Halts TikTok Ban in Montana

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

WRAL Noon News

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Sky 5 flies over train accident in Raleigh at Hillsborough Street and Beryl Road.

Sky 5 flies over train accident in Raleigh

Sky 5 flies over O2 fitness on Chapel Hill Road, where a police presence was reported. 

Police officers respond to O2 Fitness in Morrisville 

Sky 5 flies over gas leak in Fayetteville that prompted evacuations

Videos

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rory McIlroy won’t be returning to the PGA Tour board, saying Wednesday that a plan to replace Webb Simpson was met with resistance from board members.

Rory McIlroy won't rejoin PGA Tour board, says others were 'uncomfortable' with his potential return

Zurich_Classic_Golf_29669

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Riley Ammenhauser has become a record-breaking, triple-jumping track athlete at Michigan and something of an entrepreneur.

In the NIL landscape, schools are turning to companies to train and manage in-house general managers

Compensating_Athletes_90985

CLIFTON, N.J. (AP) — Things are going well for Nelly Korda these days, that's for sure.

After appearing on red carpet at Met Gala, Nelly Korda goes for a sixth straight win on LPGA Tour

LPGA_Tour_Golf_46354

A North Carolina woman said she's managing a financial headache after she left her credit card at a restaurant.



Spotty showers possible through Monday

More On This

Live DUALDoppler5000

• Credits

Trending