Officials are encouraging residents to take steps to prepare for extreme weather ahead of hurricane season. New data shows flood and wind risk is changing in the state.

Inland homes at risk for high winds, flooding during hurricane season. Here's what you can do now.

Holly Springs shed damage

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 convicted sex offender is facing new charges after police say they caught him engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old boy he met online.

<b>RALEIGH, N.C.</b> — A convicted sex offender is facing new charges after police say they caught him engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old boy he met online.<br />

Troy Byrd, 41, of Burlington was allegedly caught with the teen in a hospital parking lot in Raleigh this week. <br />

Byrd was being held in the Wake County Jail on a $2.5 million bond.

Sex Offender Faces New Charges After Being Caught With Teen

Troy Byrd

Friday is now a WRAL Weather Alert Day, with an upgraded risk for severe storms in our southern counties.


🚨WRAL Weather Alert Day🚨 Level 2 risk for severe storms Friday afternoon, damaging winds & isolated tornadoes possible

Severe risk for Friday 

The yellow flashing traffic signal that indicates a malfunction at an intersection is turning red, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.



Traffic signals will flash red, not yellow, to alert drivers, NCDOT says 

Traffic lights

Two men were charged after four people were shot Wednesday night in Durham. One man died in the shooting, and a woman was seriously injured.



Two men arrested after 4 people shot, man killed at Durham apartment

Yeltsin Cinto Orozco, 29, and William Antonio Sanchez-Vasquez, 42

A series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun have the potential to create dazzling auroras that may be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California but also disrupt communications on Earth tonight and over the weekend.

Solar storms could create rare aurora displays, be visible in North Carolina this weekend

Aurora forecast for May 10-11

JT International -- which makes and sells Winston, Camel and other cigarette brands -- plans to move its U.S. offices from New Jersey, bringing more than 100 jobs to Raleigh's North Hills area. 


Cigarette-maker moving U.S. headquarters to Raleigh 

One North Hills Tower 

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

WRAL Late News 

WRAL Noon News

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

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

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

Carolina Hurricanes players and Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour talk about Game 3 on Thursday night against the New York Rangers. 

Canes players, coach talk about Game 3 against New York Rangers

Videos

The Carolina Hurricanes try to turn the tides against the New York Rangers in Game 3 at PNC Arena. The Canes are down 2-0 to the Rangers.

Hurricanes fall in overtime to the Rangers, trail 3-0 in the series

Hurricanes_Rangers_Hockey_22564

Dozens of people showed up on Douglas Street in Wilson on Thursday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Carolina Mudcats' new Wilson stadium.

Wilson breaks ground on new Mudcats baseball stadium

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The New York Rangers erased an early deficit to take momentum, only to squander their own lead late with a huge postseason road victory only minutes away.

Artemi Panarin scores in overtime, Rangers beat Hurricanes 3-2 to take 3-0 series lead

Rangers_Hurricanes_Hockey_22876

The Charlotte Hornets have named Charles Lee as their next head coach. The 39-year-old Lee joins the Hornets after serving as the Boston Celtics top assistant coach.

Charlotte Hornets hire Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee to be their next head coach

Hornets Coach Basketball

At 1:18 a.m., police responded to a report of shots fired in the Sheetz parking lot on Cabela Drive. An officer confirmed that a car was hit by gunfire.