Weather Archives - Randolph News Now

Nov302023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Solar Storms Expected to Impact Tonight, Could bring Auroras to North Carolina

Weather

A coronal mass ejection bursting from the edge of the Sun on May 1, 2013. (NASA) ASHEBORO N.C. - Four explosions on the surface of the sun have sent waves of charged particles flying through space resulting in a geomagnetic storm and auroras tonight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) operates the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) which is tasked with providing space weather forecasts and alerts. On Wednesday, November 29th, 2023, the Space Weather Prediction Center issued an alert that a fast moving coronal mass ejection (CME) could combine with three other CMEs already headed towards Earth, resulting in one larger geomagnetic storm, which is expected to impact the Earth in the tonight and into the early morning hours on December 1st, 2023. According...

Nov202023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Much Needed Rain on the Way, Bringing Threat of Severe Weather

Weather

Fire fighters on the scene of an out building fire on Oakland Ave on Sat Nov 18th, 2023. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - Fire crews have been dealing with brush and forest fires locally and across the state this month and much-needed rain in the forecast should bring some relief, along with the threat of severe weather. A local weather station, part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), recorded only 0.06” of rainfall since the beginning of November. Going back to October 1st, only around 1.5” of rainfall has been recorded in Randolph County. Those dry conditions have kept local firefighters busy. According to officials at Randolph County Emergency Services, as of Nov 13th, firefighters in Randolph County had responded to ove...

Oct302023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

NWS Warns of Freezing Conditions in Randolph County for Tuesday Night

Alerts, Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - The National Weather Service Office in Raleigh has issued a Freeze Watch for Randolph County for Late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with temperatures expected to dip into the low 30's. According to forecasters at the National Weather Service Office in Raleigh, a cold front will move through the region tonight, followed by light rain from an upper disturbance overnight through Tuesday evening. High pressure will then build into the area behind the cold front, bringing the coldest air so far this season. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 possible in Randolph and surrounding counties late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. ...

Oct132023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Central Carolina to see Partial ‘Ring of Fire’ Solar Eclipse this Saturday

Weather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY79zjud-Q Watch the Solar Eclipse live on YouTube on NASA's live stream. ASHEBORO N.C. - On Saturday, October 14th, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross western North America, and while only a few cities will see the 'ring of fire,' here in North Carolina we may still have something neat to witness. The 2023 solar eclipse is what's known as an annular, or partial, solar eclipse. The moon will pass between the orbit of the Earth and the Sun casting a shadow on the Earth across its path. Due to the distance between the Earth, moon, and Sun, the moon will not fully cover the Sun in the sky, creating a “ring of fire” around the moon when it lines up directly with the sun. Credit: Michael Zeiler, GreatAmericanEclipse.com To see the 'ring of ...

Sep82023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Tropic Watch – Hurricane Lee

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Forecasters will be keeping a very close eye on Hurricane Lee over the weekend to see if forecast models predicting the storm will make a turn out to sea will be accurate. Current Location / Strength Over less than 24 hours, Lee intensified from a tropical storm into a category 5 hurricane with reported winds of 160+ mph. That rapid intensification is the quickest any system has gone from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane in Atlantic hurricane season history. (NOAA / NWS - National Hurricane Center) Lee is currently located around 750 miles to the east of San Juan, Puerto Rico (18.2N 54.5W), and is moving WNW at 13 mph. This morning Lee encountered some wind shear resulting in sustained winds falling below 160 mph dropping Lee back down to a cate...

Aug292023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Tracking Hurricane Idalia [UPDATED]

Weather

Last Update: 8/30/23 1:30pm ASHEBORO N.C. - Idalia made landfall around 7:45 a.m. Eastern time along Florida's Big Bend, near Keaton Beach, and is currently moving at 30 mph up the southeast coast. Here is everything you need to know about local impacts. Confidence / Expected Changes As of Aug 30th, 11:30 a.m. briefing by the National Weather Service Office in Raleigh there have been no significant changes to the forecast for Randolph County. Forecasters say confidence is HIGH that the event will occur and MODERATE regarding impacts. Timeline Impacts in central North Carolina, including Randolph County, are expected to start as soon as Wednesday afternoon and continue through Friday afternoon. Local Impacts Heavy rainfall and gusty winds wil...

Aug72023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

Tornado Watch Issued as NWS Warns of Severe Weather Threat [UPDATED]

Weather

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATEDClick Here or scroll down to see the latest update ASHEBORO N.C. - The National Weather Service Office in Raleigh has issued a Tornado Watch admit warnings of the threat of severe weather expected today. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has placed most of central North Carolina under an Enhanced Risk of severe weather today. An Enhanced Risk indicates there is a larger area with widespread chances of low-to-moderate intensity severe thunderstorms. Local forecasters at the National Weather Service Office in Raleigh say that they are expecting a line of severe storms to move across NC between 3pm and 11pm with widespread damaging winds, isolated tornados, and heavy rain causing minor flooding in some areas. As of 2 pm thi...

Jul252023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Dangerously High Temperatures Forecast for Later This Week

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Forecasters are warning that dangerously hot temperatures are expected across much of central North Carolina later this week and into the weekend. Starting Wednesday and into Thursday, heat and humidity will roll into the area with highs in the lower 90s and heat-index values reaching into the mid-90's. The real threat from dangerous heat starts on Friday and extends through Sunday. Heat advisory and/or warnings are expected during this time as hot temperatures combined with high humidity will push heat index values into the upper 90s to above 100 degrees over central NC, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. For Randolph County, the hottest temperatures are expected Friday and Saturday with temperatures hanging around 96 deg...

Jul172023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

Smoke from Canadian Wildfires Triggers Air Quality Alerts

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Smoke from Canadian wildfires is bringing hazing conditions across North Carolina and triggering air quality alerts, again. The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection, located in Winston-Salem, has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particles until midnight on Monday, July 17. Randolph County falls into this area. As of 3 p.m. PM 2.5 levels, which describes fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller, were at 123 ppb (parts per billion) at the closest air quality monitoring station to Randolph County. That places the county under a Code Orange alert. Code ORANGE is Unhealthy for Sensitive groups meaning children, elderly, and those with lung and/or heart ailments need to limit thei...

Jun252023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

NWS Warns of Severe Weather Threat Monday Evening

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Forecasters are calling for severe weather including the threat of severe thunderstorms, hail, and an isolated tornado all possible across central North Carolina, including Randolph County, Monday evening. Monday will start off nice with partly to mostly sunny skies and a high reaching near 90 degrees, but an approaching cold front is expected to arrive sometime around 3pm in the afternoon. That cold front brings a serious threat of severe storms across western Piedmont Monday afternoon and into the evening as it develops into a line or large cluster of severe thunderstorms that will move eastward across the area. Those storms are likely to bring severe thunderstorms, including damaging winds, large hail, lighting, flash flooding and a possiable tornado....