Weather News
  1. Triad cleans up after 2 tornadoes
    Triad cleans up after 2 tornadoes

    One man was killed, three people were injured and damage was strewn across several counties.

    1. Updated 7 minutes ago
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    3. Slideshow
    4. Video
  2. 7-Day Forecast
    Sunny Saturday, stormy Mother’s Day ahead

    "It is going to rain, there's no question about that," WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel said of Sunday's forecast. How severe that weather gets is still up in the air.

    1. Updated 46 minutes ago
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    3. Maps
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  3. Rain comes to western Texas just in time for cotton planting
    1. Posted at 4:59 a.m.
    2. Read Story
  4. Severe storms cause damage in 4 Southern states
    1. Updated at 12:53 a.m.
    2. Read Story
  5. Little change in drought
    1. May. 8, 2008
    2. Read Story

Question: I was reading about "whippoorwill storms," and wondered where these would occur and how the name arose.

Answer: That was a new term for us, but it is defined in the Glossary of Meteorology as the first bad or stormy weather in spring after a period of warm weather. No further etymology is given there regarding origins of the term or where it might be commonly used. It may have arisen due to a warm spell in spring being a favored time of year for beginning to notice whippoorwills calling in the evening.

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Rainfall since 1/1/2007 at RDU
Normal: 58.41 inches
Actual: 49.75 inches
Deficit:8.66 inches
Updated May 9 at 5:10a.m.
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