• ...INCREASED FIRE DANGER ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING...
• [Public Safety Notifications]
• [SEVERE WEATHER CHANNEL]
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at [LINK]
NWS GENERAL OUTLOOK
1. Increased Fire Danger across the area this afternoon, with a Fire Danger Statement in effect for our NC and GA counties. Above normal temperatures return today and persist through at least the end of the week. Very low-to-critical relative humidity is forecast each afternoon, keeping the fire danger elevated through Friday. Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. No outdoor burning!
2. Trending towards a wetter pattern this weekend into early next week. However, there may be a brief lull in precipitation Sunday into Monday behind a departing cold front and ahead of the next system. A cooling trend develops this weekend into Monday before warmer temperatures return Tuesday.
WEATHER SPONSOR
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DAY SPONSOR
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GENERAL FORECAST
(since this is a quick forecast intended to cover the whole county, bear in mind that higher elevations may experience cooler temperatures than this and the lower elevations may experience higher temperatures than those in the forecast)
..TODAY....Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. West winds around 5 mph.
..TONIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
..THURSDAY....Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. North winds around 5 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon.
..THURSDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds around 5 mph.
..FRIDAY....Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. West winds around 5 mph.
..FRIDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
A statewide burn ban issued by the North Carolina Forest Service is currently in place. Open burning of any kind is illegal.
...INCREASED FIRE DANGER FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...
Relative humidity is forecast to fall into the 20 to 25 percent range across much of western North Carolina this afternoon. Winds are expected to be somewhat elevated in the afternoon, with gusts between 15 and 20 mph. The low humidity combined with gusty winds and very dry vegetation will result in an elevated threat for the rapid spread of wildfires across the area.
NEWS UPDATES
(Links aggregated to show what various news outlets are reporting)
State and Local News
Camping experiences see impact as drought increases fire risks | WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)
• Town of Franklin Asks Residents to Observe Voluntary Water Restrictions | [Macon Media]
• NC lawmakers will fill Medicaid funding gap, but larger state budget issues remain unresolved [NC Newsline]
• North Carolina’s Berger optimistic about budget, blames Democrats for primary loss [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• The 2026 Great Smoky Mountains synchronous firefly lottery is coming. How to enter [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• NC Senate leader Phil Berger, after years at top of GOP power, starts last sessionhttps://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article315487498.html [Raleigh News & Observer]
Iran War News
Schrödinger's Strait: Is It Open or Closed | Week 7 Strait of Hormuz Recap (April 12 to 19) | What's Going on With Shipping?
• Iran Update Special Report, April 21, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• AP News Liveblog [AP News]
• Jerusalem Post Liveblog [Jerusalem Post]
• BBC Liveblog [BBC News]
• Al Jazeera Liveblog [Al Jazeera]
• Fox News Liveblog [Fox News]
• Iran attacks ship in Strait of Hormuz, complicating diplomatic efforts to resume talks [AP News]
• Iran war: What’s happening on day 54 as Trump extends ceasefire? [Al Jazeera]
• US potentially facing 'near-term risk' of running out of key ammunition after Iran war - report [Jerusalem Post]
Iran yet to decide on sending delegation to Islamabad for US talks, official says | BBC News
World News
Palantir’s manifesto: How tech is trying to redefine war and power | DW News
• Taiwan president cancels trip after African countries close airspace [BBC News]
• Japan scraps a ban on lethal weapons exports in a change of its postwar pacifist policy [Yonhap News Agency]
• Russia's Sergei Shoigu says safety of Russians in Transnistria under threat, TASS reports [France 24]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 21, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
Magyar moves to form government after Orbán era ends | World News Tonight | TVP World
National News
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - April 21, 2026 | ABC News
• Trump media company replaces CEO, ex-congressman Nunes after stock plunge that wiped out billions [AP News]
• What the Passage of the Virginia Redistricting Plan Means for Control of Congress [Time Magazine]
• Democrats boost midterm edge with Virginia redistricting win: 5 takeaways [The Hill]
• Trump says he will 'remember' companies that don't seek tariff refunds [Reuters]
• Virginia redistricting referendum results: What changes, who benefits [Fox Business]
Financial News
Stocks Extend Drop, Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire | The Close 4/21/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• A New York Suit Called Prediction Markets 'Illegal' Gambling. That Hit These Crypto Stocks [Yahoo Finance]
• SpaceX says it can buy Cursor later this year for $60 billion or pay $10 billion for ‘our work together’ [CNBC]
Science and Technology
New Glenn's First Failure - What Do We Know? | Scott Manley
• Pentagon wants $54B for drones, more than most nations’ military budgets [Ars Technica]
• Some Unknown Group Is Reportedly Using Claude Mythos Without Permission [Gizmodo]
• Scientists just captured trees glowing with electricity during storms [Science Daily]
• TWiV 1314: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
Crypto News
Gold: Dubious Speculation | Benjamin Cowen
• Tether Asserts Stablecoin Dominance Over Circle's USDC Amid Major Crypto Hacks [Decrypt]
• Bitcoin risks losing $70K as Strategy's STRC slips below $100 [Coin Telegraph]
• FTX Sold Cursor Stake for $200K. SpaceX Now Has a $60 Billion Option to Buy It [Bitcoin.com]
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Published at 6.00am on Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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