Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 2hOn this date in Weather History... Twenty-seven tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma. At the time, this is the greatest number of confirmed tornadoes during the month of October on a single day. October 4, 1998 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 2hSunday afternoon Reindeer Games... 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 2h"Pops of red are emerging on the flanks of Grandfather Mountain and can be viewed from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Today’s photo showcases a maple with hues of red and purple found at the parking area for Beacon Heights." Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 5hThe Guardian of the Hummingbird Feeder... #SpectrumNews #Hummingbird 030
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 6hCompleted my latest model project this afternoon… A “Strike Eagle” with SJAFB markings. #SpectrumNews1 #F15 #StrikeEagle 030
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 7hI must say... Models are starting to peak my interest in the western Gulf of Mexico. Models are hinting at a weak disturbance and tropical moisture potentially impacting the southeastern United States in the next 7 to 10 days. Maybe some much needed rainfall for the region. 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 9h"In the book, 11 different stories are told, each from the perspective of a different person or family in North Carolina..." #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #HurricaneHelenepbs.org2 years after the storm, graphic novel shares stories of Hurricane Helene survivorsTwo years after Hurricane Helene ripped through much of the Southeast, many of the communities affected by that storm are still recovering. A new project has chronicled their journey, using what might... 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 10h"While the landscape is still mostly green, Grandfather staff are noticing daily progression of fall colors on the mountain. This photo, taken earlier this week, shows the view from Cliffside in the light of sunset." Photo by Leslie Restivo | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 11hIts been a bit gloomy this weekend... But it was quite nice on Friday, when I took these pics. A little "Fall" starting to show up in our area. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #Fall2026 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 12hThe weather should cooperate for seeing this on Tuesday morning... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #Moon #Jupiterspace.comJupiter will disappear behind the moon on Oct. 6 — and if you're in the right place, you can watch it happenA waning crescent moon will pass directly in front of Jupiter before dawn on Oct. 6, hiding the giant planet from view across parts of North America. 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 13hOn this date in Aviation and Space History... The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite placed in Earth orbit. October 4, 1957 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 04/10/2026On this date in Weather History... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is formed. October 3, 1970 021
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026NCDOT is planning to re-open Highway 12 at Pea Island to unrestricted, two-way traffic by the end of Saturday... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 000
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026It may be October but we still have Hummingbirds in the region... Keep those feeders out if you can. I know our little friends appreciate it. #SpectrumNews1 #Hummingbirds 030
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026I post this for entertainment value only... Friday's 18Z GFS model wants it to snow on October 18th. Which is a little early for the GFS to start spiting out its "phantom" storms. I got a feeling, with this strong El Nino, we're going to see some weird stuff on the models in the coming months. 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Potential rain totals over the next 72 hours... Models have been trending lower on total with areas farther south having the greater rain potential. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #NWS 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... William Knight sets a new airspeed record in a North American X-15, of Mach 6.72. This is the fastest flight that the X-15 will ever make. October 3, 1967 031
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 03/10/2026On this date in Weather History... A hurricane impacted San Diego, California. Known as the "1858 San Diego Hurricane", the center of the storm stayed just offshore but still did considerable damage to the city. October 2, 1858 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Progress continues on getting Highway 12 at Pea Inland back in full service... Asphalt going down. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 100
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026"The N.C. High Country is still mostly green though pops of color are emerging, as seen in this photo of Grandfather Mountain taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Milepost 305." Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026On this Friday morning... Clear skies... A little Fall color... And a nice looking Moon... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #Moon #Fall2026 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026If you thought this last Nor'easter was a little worse than in the past, there might be a reason for that... #ClimateChange #ncwxclimatecentral.orgClimate change worsened coastal flooding during East Coast nor’easter | Climate CentralLast weekend’s nor’easter brought damaging coastal flooding to the East Coast — higher seas driven by climate change made the impacts worse. 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... The first mid-air collision of two aircraft takes place near Milan, Italy. Both pilots survive the crash but one is badly injured. October 2, 1910 000
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026"Hints of fall color are appearing in the N.C. High Country, especially at higher elevations, as seen here in this photo of Linville Peak taken from Cliffside Overlook. The area has experienced many sunny days and cool nights recently, prompting the seasonal transition." Photo by Leslie Restivo 001
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Without significant rain in the past week, no real improvements in drought conditions over much of the state... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #DroughtMonitor 000
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 02/10/2026On this date in Weather History... The U.S. Weather Bureau was established by an act of Congress and assigned as part of the Department of Agriculture. Weather observations and forecasts, up to that time, were issued by the Army Signal Service. October 1, 1890 051
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Two months left in the Atlantic Basin Tropical Season... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #NHC #NOAA 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 01/10/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... The United States Army Balloon Corps, consisting of five balloons and fifty men, is formed. It operated until August 1863. October 1, 1861 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 01/10/2026On this date in Weather History... Hurricane Ginger makes landfall near Morehead City, North Carolina. The storm holds the record for the most consecutive days as a tropical cyclone at 27.25 days. It spent 20 of those days as a hurricane. September 30, 1971 030
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 30/09/2026On this date... "Today marks the 55th anniversary of Hurricane Ginger making landfall along the North Carolina coast. And though “Ginger” is not one of the more memorable storms to strike the state, based on destruction, it was a record-setting storm for other reasons." #SpectrumNews1 #ncwxspectrumlocalnews.comThe longest-lasting Atlantic tropical cyclone of the satellite eraIt's been 55 years since a tropical cyclone spent almost a month roaming the Atlantic Basin. 000
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Work continues on repairs to Highway 12 on the Outer Banks, as NCDOT crews rebuild the road for two-way traffic... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 30/09/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... The AH-64 "Apache" makes its first flight. September 30, 1975 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 30/09/2026On this date in Weather History... Hurricane Grace, a category four storm, makes landfall near Edisto Island in South Carolina. Significant wind damage was reported across the state. September 29, 1959 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The folks with the NCDOT certainly earned their paycheck this week... Highway 12 at Pea Island opened earlier this afternoon and traffic is moving north. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 040
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The temporary ferry is departing Rodanthe on Tuesday afternoon and its not full... A clear sign that Highway 12 is now open at Pea Island. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026NCDOT is almost ready to allow northbound traffic on Highway 12 at Pea Island... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026NCDOT now saying Highway 12, one northbound lane only, will be open at 3pm on Tuesday... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOTdarenc.gov 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The view of Fay and Hanna on Tuesday morning... #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #NHC #NOAA 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026NCDOT continues work along Highway 12 at Pea Island on Tuesday morning... The plan is for one lane of the road to be open on Wednesday for north flowing traffic. #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx #OBX #NCDOT 011
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on the STS-26 mission. This is the first space shuttle flight following the Challenger Disaster in 1986. September 29, 1988 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 29/09/2026On this date in Weather History... The sloop-of-war H.M.S. Racer encountered a hurricane in the Caribbean and ran with the storm until it reached the Yucatan Peninsula four days later. This storm would be called "Racer's Hurricane of 1837". September 28, 1837 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Severe Clear with moisture aloft… 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 28/09/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... Canada launched its first satellite, Alouette 1, making it the third country in history to build and launch its own satellite into space. The spacecraft was designed to study the ionosphere. September 28, 1962 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 28/09/2026On this date in Weather History... Hurricane Helene passes just off the North Carolina coast near Cape Fear. Winds gust to 135mph at Wilmington and to 155mph at Cape Fear. September 27, 1958 0132
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 27/09/2026That’s a potent low pressure system… #SpectrumNews1 #ncwx 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 27/09/2026NCDOT is making progress on Highway 12 repairs at Pea Island… 000
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Walker beware… It’s Orb Spider Season! 020
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 27/09/2026On this date in Aviation and Space History... Test pilot Mel Apt is killed after setting a new speed record of Mach 3.2 (2,098mph). The aircraft went out of control and Apt could not successfully escape the stricken craft. September 27, 1956 011
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 27/09/2026On this date in Weather History... The only "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft to be lost on a flight in the Atlantic Basin occurs after "Snowcloud Five" crashes while in Hurricane Janet. All onboard are lost and the plane is never found. September 26, 1955 010
Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson @gstephensonwx.bsky.social · 26/09/2026That’s going to take a while to repair… Ouch!!! 010