Western North Carolina moves fast. Honestly, if you blink while scrolling through your feed, you’ve probably missed three weather alerts and a local government scandal. People around Asheville and the surrounding mountain counties rely on News 13 WLOS top stories to keep their heads above water, especially when the weather decides to go from "mild spring" to "Arctic tundra" in under twelve hours.
Right now, the big talk is the cold. It’s not just "bring a jacket" cold; it’s "protect your pipes and pray for your car battery" cold. We are looking at some of the lowest temperatures of the winter season so far. Forecasters are calling for overnight lows to dip into the teens—and even single digits in the higher elevations. If you’re living up in Haywood or Madison County, you already know the drill, but even downtown Asheville is feeling the bite.
The Weather Shift Everyone Is Watching
The wind chill is the real killer here. We aren't just talking about a crisp breeze. We're looking at dangerous wind chills that make it feel like sub-zero territory on the mountain peaks. WLOS has been hammering this point home because, frankly, people underestimate how fast frostbite can set in when the wind is gusting at 30 miles per hour.
What's kinda wild is how fast the moisture left. We had that threat of light snow and "northwest flow" showers earlier in the week, but now it's just dry, biting air. You’ve likely seen the warnings about black ice on the bridges. Even if the roads look clear, that leftover moisture from the mid-week rain can freeze into a glass-like sheet that’ll send your Subaru spinning toward the French Broad River before you can say "winter tires."
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Local Headlines You Might Have Missed
While everyone is hunkering down to stay warm, the news cycle hasn't stopped. There is some serious drama brewing in the political sphere. A former city employee has officially challenged the eligibility of Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley to run for reelection. This isn't just a minor clerical disagreement; it’s a formal challenge that has people talking about the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and how "legacy neighborhoods" are being handled in the face of rapid gentrification.
Then there's the health side of things. It's a bit worrying, but Buncombe County Health and Human Services recently confirmed three cases of measles in the county. In an era where we thought some of these things were behind us, seeing a localized outbreak is enough to make any parent double-check their kid's vaccination records. WLOS has been tracking the exposure sites, so if you’ve been in high-traffic public areas lately, it’s worth a quick look at the official list.
Crime and Community Safety
It wouldn't be a typical week in WNC without some bizarre or heavy crime reports hitting the top of the deck. Just across the state line and into the Piedmont, North Carolina authorities recently busted a massive cockfighting ring with 400 roosters. It sounds like something out of a movie, but the reality is a grim look at illegal gambling rings that still operate in the rural corners of the Carolinas.
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Closer to home, the Asheville Police Department is still asking for help locating a teenager facing new felony charges. The city is also preparing for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances. The annual Peace March and Rally is still the "big one" for Asheville, starting at St. James AME Church and heading toward Pack Square. Even with the freezing temps, the community turnout is expected to be massive because, well, that’s just how Asheville is.
Why the WLOS Morning Minute Matters
If you're like most people, you don't have twenty minutes to sit through a full broadcast while trying to get the kids ready or scrape ice off your windshield. That’s why the "Morning Minute" clips on YouTube and social media have basically become the gospel for locals. They give you the temperature, the one "big" thing that happened overnight, and whether or not I-26 is currently a parking lot.
Speaking of I-26, the construction never seems to end, does it? Between the Saluda Grade and the bridge work, traffic updates remain a permanent fixture of the News 13 WLOS top stories. Honestly, at this point, we should all just accept that orange barrels are part of the natural landscape, right up there with the rhododendrons.
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Business and the "New" Asheville
We’re also seeing a lot of movement in the local business scene. The "resilience" narrative that started back in 2025 after the heavy storm seasons is still going strong. New spots like Flour Café are moving into iconic spaces (like the old Laughing Seed spot), and Restaurant Week is right around the corner. It's a weird contrast—seeing these high-end eateries open while the city still struggles with an affordable housing crisis that seems to get worse with every new luxury condo development.
- Public Safety: Keep an eye on the measles exposure list if you've been in downtown Asheville recently.
- Weather Prep: Don't just drip your faucets; make sure your outdoor hoses are disconnected and your pets are inside.
- Travel: Check the NCDOT "DriveNC" map before heading over the mountain passes, as black ice remains a threat through Monday morning.
Actionable Steps for the Week Ahead
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, don't just wait for the 6 PM news. Set up localized alerts for Buncombe and Henderson counties on your phone. Specifically, keep a close watch on the Board of Elections updates regarding the candidate challenges—the outcome of those hearings will dictate what your ballot looks like in the next cycle.
Also, if you're planning on attending the MLK Day march, dress in layers. It sounds simple, but with the wind chill values we're seeing, "Asheville cold" is a different beast entirely. Pack some hand warmers and make sure your phone is fully charged, as the cold kills battery life faster than you'd think.
Stay safe, stay warm, and keep an eye on those thermometers. The mountains are beautiful, but they don't have much mercy when the Arctic air settles in.