Watch the January 31, 2018 Total Lunar Eclipse

The total lunar eclipse that is happening this morning won't really be noticeable to the human eye until around 6:48 am when the moon will be less than 10 degrees above the northwestern horizon. Unless you are on a mountaintop or are in a location with a clear view horizon that is free of trees and mountains, you won't be able to see it in Macon County. The above image shows the locations of the moon (above the horizon) and the sun (below the...

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Daily Weather Briefing for Wednesday, January 31, 2018

LOCAL OUTLOOK The center of cold high pressure will move off the east coast today and tonight as another cold front approaches from the northwest. The front will arrive Thursday night and move off the east coast by Friday morning. High pressure will then move across our region to start the weekend, then the next cold front arrives on Sunday with possible wintry weather Saturday night into early Sunday. We are entering a period of cooler and...

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2018 State of the Union and Response

Last night, the President delivered the annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. A video and transcript of the speech and response are posted below without comment via C-SPAN, the White House and the New York Times. Here is coverage of the event from C-SPAN: C-SPAN event page. [LINK] The White House Transcript Remarks as prepared for delivery TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice...

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Daily Weather Briefing for Tuesday, January 30, 2018

**UPDATE** 5:15 am: Schools in Macon County are on a two-hour delay and schools in Jackson County are closed today. More information will be on our Open Thread on Facebook. [LINK] Graham County Rockslide Drone Video Here is a drone's eye view of the cleanup efforts at the rockslide on NC-28 in Graham County via KillBoy. LOCAL NEWS A limb-clearing operation along the roads in the Nantahala Gorge will take place next week that may lead to...

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Low Limbs Getting Trimmed Short delays expected in Nantahala Gorge

SYLVA – A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will start Monday, February 5, on a project to remove vegetation along U.S. 19/74 in the Nantahala Gorge. The project will prevent damage to larger vehicles, reduce the frequency of road closures due to fallen limbs and improve the overall serviceability of the highway between N.C. 28 and the Swain/Macon County line. “Over the past few years, trees and limbs have regularly fallen...

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Daily Weather Briefing for Monday, January 29, 2018

LOCAL OUTLOOK Rain is expected to continue through Monday, then colder air will arrive and light snow (less than an inch) may be possible for the northern sections of the county on Monday night. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be dry days. More rain is expected ahead of a cold front on Thursday and Friday. DAY SPONSOR Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully...

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