ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 5am - March 3, 2026

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

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Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, breaking stories from overnight and this morning, and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. Digging into a brand new day at 5 a.m. Good morning. Carolina, welcome on this Tuesday. It is March 3rd. I'm Joel Brown. And I'm Anna Rivera. Thanks so much for joining us today. The war in the Middle East is now intensifying alerts sound off across the region as Iran responds to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. down the latest. And it's election day in North Carolina primaries. What you need to know if you're planning to cast your ballot. Plus, we'll break down the key races to watch, including the race for the fourth congressional district. And we are taking a closer look at that hotly contested Republican primary to replace Tom Tillis in the U.S. Senate. It's all straight ahead on eyewitness news. It is also

time for a first check of weather and traffic together. Meteorologist Quaylon Murphy back with us on a Tuesday morning. The warm up starts right now. It does. Temperatures already a little higher than yesterday. We still have some spotty rain out there that we're tracking before we get into some drier conditions. So at the bus stop, some light rain possible this morning, right around 40 degrees on the way in. But by the afternoon, you're gonna see a little sunshine,

partly cloudy, 56 degrees as the kids are heading home from school. Here's first alert Dopplernet. We're drying the triangle location south and east, some rainfall for our northwestern county. So that includes far northern portions of Purston County into Mecklenburg, too, and Virginia, Clarksville, Chase City, some light showers. And northern Granville into Vans counties as well.

I'm going to keep that rain chance at 20% through around lunchtime today. A little weak disturbance passing through right now. Most of the precept to our north, which includes some frozen precept too. None of that for us. I think as we get into lunchtime, we'll start to break out with some sunshine around I-95 and east. Still some clouds in the triangle and areas north, but a gradual clearing as we head into the late afternoon hours. Here's a live look into downtown. We have temperatures, upper 30s and low 40s with a light wind from the north,

switching up later today. A little fog showing up too to the north. attempts in the 50s through this evening. Tomorrow morning, your first alert. We will see some fog and spots. Could be a little dense, but we jump to May this week with highs in the 70s and 80s starting tomorrow through the end of the week and record highs possible on Friday. I'll have more on this when I come back right now. Our first check of weather and traffic together. Anna, back to you. Quailing, the road's really quiet as we would expect. Our crash count still sitting at zero. Also not seeing any congestion. Let's take a live look outside at the 44-40 interchange. You can see how light traffic really is. latest in the attack on Iran now, the U.S. and Israel continuing to pound Iran with airstrikes

since killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Hameh on Saturday. And President Trump now says he is not ruling out putting American troops on the ground in Iran. Iran is striking back, hitting American military bases in the region along with other countries in the Persian Gulf with missiles and drones. Missile alerts were issued last night across Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Iran also. close the straight of her moves where roughly 20% of the world's oil passes through. Six American troops have been killed after Iran attacked a tactical operation center in Kuwait over the weekend. The Iranian Red Crescent Society says more than 500 people have been killed

in Iran and more than 130 cities have come under attack. President Trump says the operation could last four to five weeks. The war in Iran is putting military installation across the country on a heightened security alert, including Fort Bragg. It's the high. highest level of security before an attack is considered imminent or likely. At Fort Bragg car inspections continue and people need visitor passes to get on post. Eyewitness News reached out to the Pentagon to see if Fort Bragg soldiers are deployed in the Middle East right now. And we haven't heard back. Stay here for continuing coverage of the attack on Iran right here on eyewitness news and ABC11.com.

In your voice, your vote this morning, it is election day and we've got eyewitness news, team coverage on all the big North Carolina primary races. There's Tamara Scott. She's live at the polls and Raleigh. with the reminder for voters. And Bianca Holman is live from Durham to tell us about one of the key races to watch. Tamara, we'll start with you first. Tell us what voters need to know

before heading to the polls. Hey, good morning, Anna and Joel. Yeah, we want to make sure that you are prepared as you head out to cast your ballot today. So here are some tips from the North Carolina Board of Elections. They say if you did not vote early, today is your last chance to do so,

but you must go to your dedicated polling place. So be sure to check your registration online. Also bring with you your ID. to vote and you can view your sample ballot ahead of time online. Now you can also plan your day so the busiest times to vote are typically early in the morning and just before the polls close. So again, polls open at 630. They close at 7.30 tonight but if you are in line by 7.30 you will be able to cast your ballot. Back to you. Okay Tamara, thank you. And now to the big money primary rematch in North

Carolina's fourth congressional district covering Durham and Orange counties along with parts of Wake and Chatham counties. Yeah, it is the bluest of blue districts in that race between Nita Alam and Valerie Fushi, luring lots of campaign spending and big name surrogates too. Bianca Holman covering the race live at the polls at the Durham County main library. Bianca, good morning. Hey, good morning you guys. So the race for the fourth congressional district is really heating up.

It is getting national attention. It's something that a lot of people are watching. Now, to tell you more about it, again, Durham County Commissioner Niedel Lam taking on Congresswoman Valerie Fushi, who represented the district since 2023. The two have similar views on certain issues, but one point of difference is data centers needed to power AI. Alam is calling for national moratorium on the building new ones in the country, while Fushi believes decisions are best left to local leaders and communities where data centers are proposed.

But on economic issues, you can't find much daylight between the two of them. They are very much supportive of progressive policy issues, raising minimum wage to, you know, health care, providing more health care subsidies for people. You know, so on those issues, you could flip a coin. Now, progressive of fireman Bernie Sanders is probably Alam's biggest endorsement. And Fushi has the backing of both Governor Stein and Roy Cooper. And of course, this will be a race that we watched throughout the day. Back to you. All right, we'll be watching it for sure. Bianca, thank you. The big Republican race we're watching tonight is that U.S. Senate primary to replace Tom Tillis, Republicans fighting to hold onto the sea. Tillis is held since 2015. And whoever wins the primary is likely to face a tough challenge potentially against Roy Cooper in November. Most Republican leaders, including President Trump, quickly rallied behind former RNC chair Michael Watley. But two challengers forming Navy JAG officer Don Brown and conservative activist Michelle Morrow, who,

who ran and lost in 2024 for state superintendent, both argue they are a better option. Roy Cooper and the Democrat machine have beaten the typical male Republican candidate 13 times. It's time for a wild card. I am a wild card. Roy Cooper himself came after me harder than anyone else in 24. And they outspent me 18 to 1 and I came within two points. I'm going to prosecute him for his record all across the state from Manny Oda Murphy. I know how to do that. Cooper has never faced a Republican opponent like he will face when he faces me. I know how to hit him.

I'm going to hit him hard. I will expose his record to the people of North Carolina in a way that no other Republican opponent that he has ever had has known how to expose it. The news and observer is endorsing Watley in this race, arguing he'd be the strongest candidate for Republicans. but even that wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement. They said, quote, Watley has thus far been an uninspiring candidate for Republicans and the decision to so quickly push him into the race may age poorly. They argue what he does have is fundraising and institutional support.

The question is, will that be enough? We'll continue to have team coverage on the election throughout the day. You can find up-to-the-minute results on ABC11.com. We also have a special streaming coverage tonight. 5-08 now and new this morning with Clinton's tangle with the House Republicans deposition videos from the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Straight ahead, we'll take a look at the highlights. And happening overnight, the rising of the blood moon. How long will this rare phenomenon last? This is first alert weather from ABC 11.

I witness news. And this is a live look from RDIU 511 at the time on this Tuesday morning. We have really low clouds out there in some instances, a little fog showing up north of the triangle this morning. Most of us are dry for now. There are some spotty light rainfall showers north this morning. We'll have that light shower chance through around noon today at 20%. Little deficit to kick off the month of March, down to about a quarter of an inch on that deficit around RDU and Fayetteville. Near 70s or 61 in Sandhills today. Upper 50s in the triangle, low 50s, northern counties. Clouds early, some sunny breaks later. Heading towards record highs by the end of the week. I'll have more of that coming up. Joel, Anna, back to you. Quaylin, you know this, but this is for the folks in the back. This week marks severe weather preparedness week. And Governor Stein is urging everyone to get. ready for the season. So listen to this last year, North Carolina recorded 16 tornadoes, 113 large hail events, 710 damaging thunderstorm events, and 216 flood events. To get ready, the state is holding a statewide tornado drill tomorrow at 930. You're also encouraged to follow these recommended safety tips, develop a family emergency plan, and assemble an emergency supply

kit. Know the location of the nearest safe room, such as a basement or an interior room away from windows and remember if thunder roars go indoors. That means lightning is close enough to strike you. Happening now the rising of the blood moon lunar eclipse. It will be visible across much of North America. The eclipse began around 3.45 this morning, eventually forming into a blood moon. Just after six, the moon will be completely inside the earth's shadow. Totality will last just under an hour with the eclipse reaching its peak around 6.30 a.m. so a little less than 90 minutes. It may not be visible for us in North Carolina because of all the clouds. 512 and make sure you stick around for Good Morning America.

Ahead at 7 o'clock, more of Robin Roberts one-on-one with Christina Applegate on what her life is like with MS, why she struggled to enjoy her success and her favorite role. Plus one kid is gaining attention as the youngest coach in the world. In our 7 a.m. streaming hour, we're going to introduce you again to a six-year-old dominating the sidelines just outside the triangle. We are Local News. The witness news continues now. 515 and the Republican-led House Oversight Committee has released video of Bill and Hillary Clinton's separate closed-door depositions on the Epstein case. The Clintons are not accused of any wrongdoing, but the historic testimony did reveal new insights.

ABC Sophie Fleigh has more. This morning, video of Bill and Hillary Clinton's closed-door depositions over their alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein are now public as the House Oversight Committee releases hours of testimony. The former president denied ever seeing Epstein act inappropriately or engaging in sexual acts, telling the committee that his brief acquaintance with Epstein ended years before his crimes came to light. However, Clinton said he found Epstein to be odd. I felt friendly toward him, but he was, as I said, in my book, odd. He said he first recalled meeting Epstein when he accepted Epstein's offer to use his private plane for humanitarian travel tied to the Clinton Foundation's work.

Lawmakers pressed Clinton about the state. photographs released by the Justice Department during one of his trips with Epstein, showing Clinton in a pool with Maxwell and another woman. Clinton said he did not know who the woman was. Does you engage any sexual activities with this person? During her deposition, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked about speculation that Jeffrey Epstein had ties to foreign intelligence agencies. I do think that is a fruitful area for the committee to investigate. Clinton insisted she never met Epstein and considered Maxwell an acquaintance. You have compelled me to testify fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation

in order to distract from President Trump's actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers. Sophie Flee, ABC News, New York. President Trump has denied, President Trump has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein. Now to Reverend Jesse Jackson, back in his home state of South Carolina, his casket lying in repose at the state capitol, A horse-drawn carriage pulling the casket of the late civil rights leader into the state house yesterday morning. There was a private family ceremony followed by a public visitation. Jackson was born and raised in South Carolina and was at the state house in Columbia in 2015 when lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds. He died last month at the age of 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder.

Jackson's body now returns to Chicago where a large celebration of life will take place at America. at church there. Let's take a live look outside now with a view of downtown Raleigh and this is why we're not going to be able to see that lunar eclipse. You can see that cloud cover. Yep, hanging on. And then by the time we get to the total eclipse time, the moon will be pretty close to the horizon for us. Anna over here was looking to go outside. Getting ready to go outside and yeah. I'm glad you didn't buy that telescope. Yeah, put it in the back of my car. Can't keep her out the target. Yeah, you have to just hop online for that. Temperatures today in the upper 50s were high. That's the average. around the upper 50s too, but then into tomorrow through the weekend.

High temperature is really surging. Mid-70s Wednesday, near 80 Thursday, and we'll probably break a record high on Friday with near record highs through your weekend. Not much rain in the forecast. And so as a result of warm conditions and limited rain potential, we're going to be focused on those pollen levels in the days ahead today and tomorrow on the medium side. A little dip on Thursday, but then Friday they really start to take off in this weekend. You'll probably have some issues out there with congestion and coughing due to the

high pollen levels. This morning we have some limited rain potential seeing some really light showers, mainly north of IE5 in the person County, Mecklenburg County, seeing some light showers. Northern Granville in Vance, too. I'm going to hold on to a 20% chance of rain through around lunchtime today, dry conditions for the rest of the afternoon. We are cloud covered right now with overcast skies into downtown. Temperatures are mainly mid-30s to the low 40s right now, 40 in Raleigh, 39, Durham 43 Clinton, and South Hill, it's 36 degrees. Some fog showing up too, mainly along in north of I-85, better conditions towards the late morning hours, but definitely a precursor to what we're going to see later on tonight with some fog developing.

And the reason for that is our winds are from the north right now, but later this evening, the winds will be coming in from the south as high pressure slides offshore. We'll have temperatures in the 40s through around noon today and mainly cloudy, but by 3 this afternoon, expect some sunshine in the mix, 56 degrees. We're going to hold on to the 50s through midnight tonight in the upper 40s settling in tomorrow morning. So there's a low offshore week disturbance just to the west. And that's why we're seeing some isolated shower activity here. Warm front lifts north of us though today.

It's going to supply temperatures in the 50. So a nice bump from yesterday's below average temperatures. Tomorrow, mid-70s, not just here, but all the way down into the southeast. Jacksonville, Florida, Atlanta, and then near 80 in New Orleans, right around 80 degrees in Memphis, tracking the warming trend through the end of the week. Friday's record is 82. We'll be around 83 on Friday, so we'll likely see that record going down. Saturday's record is 85.

We'll be around 81 degrees on Saturday and similar conditions on Sunday, too. Introducing a little bit more cloudy intervals on Sunday, but overall, really nice weekend for us just to Shreyshauer chance. So recapping today, mainly cloudy skies, a little bit warmer, highs, mid to upper 50s, triangle, north low 60s in the sandhills. Tonight will all be in the 40s, so about 10 degrees above average into tomorrow morning. But we will see some areas of fog, so that could impact the morning. Kimmutes tomorrow. Mid-70s Wednesday, near 80 Thursday. Record high is likely on Friday low 80s.

And then this weekend, don't forget, we spring forward. So your new sunset will go from the 6 o'clock hour into the 7 o'clock hour on Sunday. Those clocks go forward one hour late Saturday night. Monday is still very warm with an isolated storm chance. The high 80 degrees warming trend all the way through the middle of next week as well. So well above average temperatures. And as you change those clocks going forward one hour, those manual clocks, don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Weather and traffic together. Anna, back to you. Quailan, overall quiet on the roads.

Really not much you need to worry about if you are getting ready to head out for that Tuesday morning commute. We do have a stalled car. It's at Tri-on Road and Gorman Street. You can see it's not causing any delays. Let's take a live look outside. Now, this is US 1 and Carrie Parkway. Traffic's still very light in that spot. Your time on this Tuesday, 522, and a leading tech company amending its deal with the Pentagon to prevent the mass surveillance of Americans will break down details on the agreement. Apple launches a new affordable iPhone will take. a look at the features that's next in Techbytes. And you can now catch up with breaking news and the latest headlines with the ABC 11 I Witness News podcast. Listen anytime or anywhere. Just follow ABC 11 eyewitness news wherever you get your podcasts. Stay with us.

Apple has introduced a new affordable iPhone. Here's ABC's Hannah Betel with this morning's TechBites. In today's TechBites, Apple just unveiled its latest edition to the iPhone 17E. The 17E has just one camera but supports Apple's AI tools, has 250,000. 56 gigs of storage and comes with MagSafe charging. It's priced at $599. The head of OpenAI is vowing to amend his company's deal with the Pentagon. Sam Altman says he'll add language to explicitly prohibit the use of Open AI systems to conduct mass surveillance of Americans. OpenAI made the deal after the Trump administration publicly clashed with Open AI's rival Anthropic.

And the Supreme Court is upholding a ruling that said AI images cannot be copyrighted. A man tried to copyright an image generated by an algorithm he created. But the courts have ruled against him because that image was not created by a human. Those are your tech bites. I'm Hannah Beto. Have a great day. Eyewitness news, counting down to the Oscars, the 98th Academy Awards airing right here on ABC 11 in 12 days. Join us March 15th at 7 for Hollywood's biggest night.

Will it be an historic night for sinners and its 16 Oscar nominations or will one battle after another continue? you, it's impressive run through award season. It's all part of a big night of Oscars programming on ABC 11, starting at 3.30 with on the red carpet pre-show, followed by eyewitness news at 5 o'clock and ABC World News Sunday. It's back to the Oscars at 6 p.m. with more on the red carpet coverage. The Oscars start at 7 o'clock, followed by an hour-long eyewitness news at 11. Then stick around for all the red carpets after awards show. 527 now, and today we'll see mostly cloudy skies, but thankfully it's not as cold as yesterday.

Not as cold as yesterday. How soon we could see a big warm up. Quailen's back with your first alert forecast next half hour. Plus more Helene recovery funding is heading to Western North Carolina, how the city of Asheville says they plan to use the money.