Honestly, if you’re looking at live news Raleigh NC today, you’re probably staring out the window wondering if that "dusting" of snow is actually going to stick or just turn your commute into a slushy nightmare. It’s Sunday, January 18, 2026, and the Triangle is currently caught in that classic North Carolina weather trap. The National Weather Service in Raleigh has been refreshing their maps all morning, and the consensus is... well, it’s complicated.
We’ve got a wintry mix that started as rain but is rapidly shifting to snow as of 10 a.m. If you’re north of the Highway 64 corridor, you’re in the "splash zone" for actual accumulation. Most of us are looking at maybe half an inch, but some spots could see two or three inches if the atmosphere decides to get spicy.
But it’s not just the flakes. It’s the ice.
The Real Danger in Today's Live News Raleigh NC
The thing about Raleigh snow is that it’s never really just snow. By 7 p.m. tonight, the precipitation should clear out from west to east, but then the temperature is going to dive off a cliff. We’re talking wind chills in the teens and lower 20s.
Any water left on the roads? Black ice.
Especially east of I-95, the puddles from this morning’s rain are basically waiting to turn into skating rinks. If you have to be on the road Monday morning, wait until after 10 a.m. That’s when the NWS says things will finally crawl back above freezing.
The "TikTok Trickster" and Other Local Headliners
While we’re all watching the thermometer, some wild stuff has been happening in the courts. You might have heard about Brenton Fillers. The 56-year-old was living a quiet life in Cary until his roommate realized she was sharing a kitchen with a man Alabama police call a "serial con artist."
Basically, the "TikTok Trickster" got his bond jacked up from $15,000 to $500,000 this past Friday. Why? Because it turns out he allegedly lied to the judge about his cases in Alabama being "taken care of." Pro tip: don't lie to Wake County judges about your felony warrants in other states. They tend to find out.
What else is moving in the Triangle?
- The Wolfpack’s Big Game: NC State women’s basketball is hosting No. 9/10 Louisville at Reynolds Coliseum today at 1 p.m. It’s on ESPN2 if you’d rather stay off the roads. The Pack is currently unranked but has been playing like they have a massive chip on their shoulder, coming off a 15-point comeback against Wake Forest.
- The Raleigh Barbecue Heartbreak: If you were planning on grabbing a tray at a certain local staple this weekend, you might be out of luck. A major Raleigh BBQ spot (we've seen the "factors affecting operations" sign) just shuttered its doors on Jan 16. It’s a trend that’s hitting the local food scene hard lately.
- Abandoned Boat Cleanup: Starting today, the state is finally moving to pull a dozen abandoned boats out of NC waters. It sounds like a niche story until you realize these things are basically environmental time bombs sitting in our coastal arteries.
Politics is Getting Personal in the State Capital
Governor Josh Stein is marking his first year in office, and he’s not exactly having a quiet anniversary. He’s been vocal this week, slamming the legislature for what he calls the "politicization" of UNC System boards.
Education is a powder charge in Raleigh right now. Between the new cell phone-free classroom laws that kicked in on January 1 and the ongoing fight over how the university system is governed, the "Old North State" is feeling pretty new and pretty divided.
Also, keep an eye on the child care crisis. The state task force just dropped a report saying, basically, that the current system is broken. They’re pushing for a statewide subsidy floor because families can’t afford to work if child care costs more than their mortgage. It's a huge story that affects almost every young professional moving to the Research Triangle Park (RTP) right now.
Measles and the Public Health Dashboard
This is the part nobody likes to talk about, but you need to know. The NCDHHS just confirmed new measles cases. There’s a new dashboard live to track these outbreaks because, frankly, the numbers in neighboring South Carolina are getting concerning.
If you were at the Mission Hospital ER waiting room in Asheville on Jan 4, or if you've been traveling through Spartanburg recently, the state health folks want you to be on high alert. It’s a weird thing to be dealing with in 2026, but here we are.
Actionable Steps for Raleigh Residents Today
Don't just read the news—react to it so you aren't caught off guard.
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- Drip your faucets tonight: With temperatures hitting the teens, those exterior-facing pipes are at risk. It’s a cheap way to avoid a $2,000 plumbing bill on Monday.
- Check the "Ready NC" App: For live traffic updates on I-40 and I-440, this is better than Google Maps because it pulls directly from State Highway Patrol data.
- Update your Water Portal: The City of Raleigh just took their new water billing portal live on Jan 15. If you haven't migrated your account yet, do it before the next billing cycle to avoid late fees.
- Avoid Highway 64 After Dark: If the snow-to-ice transition happens as predicted, the 64 corridor will be the first place to see accidents.
The city is changing fast. Between the "TikTok Tricksters" and the unpredictable January "snownadoes," staying on top of live news Raleigh NC is less about boredom and more about survival. Stay warm, stay off the black ice, and maybe just order that BBQ for delivery if they're still open.