ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at Noon - January 29, 2026

Episode Date: January 29, 2026

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Right now at noon, a winter storm watch is now in effect for North Carolina. We could see as much as 10 inches of snow in the triangle. That possibility has DOT crews back at it again, grinding the roads ahead of the storm. Plus, Governor Stein will give us an update in about an hour. We have eyewitness news team coverage and a new message in Minnesota. Borders are Tom Holman promises a drawdown in Minneapolis to mitigate tensions. It is the news at noon. Right now, live coverage from your local news leader.

Today's top stories you need to know and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11-I-Witness News. And good Thursday afternoon. Thank you for joining us. I'm Barbara Gibbs. Amber Repenta has the day off today. A winter storm watch is in effect for North Carolinians as we prepare for snow starting as soon as

Friday night. On top of that, we're expecting brutal cold. We have eyewitness News team coverage. Michael Perchick is with the NCDOT crews, Elena Athens. with the fire department in Durham and John Dowding is live at the Emergency Operations Center. But let's begin with meteorologist Steve Stewart on the timing of this storm and the projected accumulation. Steve? Yeah, still they did that the projected accumulations that were pretty high, but it's a different type of ratio.

It's more of a 15 to 1 and I'll explain all that coming up in Maine weather. But generally it's the entire area that has a winter storm watch. It goes into effect later Friday and lasts into Sunday, at least for the first half of the day. You look at the models here. They're all depicting some snow, various amounts all over the place for the triangle. Some like our in-house model, hardly anything at all. And there's a wide range for a reason. There's a lot of variables that are going to go into play here. The upper level low is it comes down out of Canada. A lot of cold air, it's going to spawn a surface low. And if it's close enough to us, we can get it pulling moisture in off the ocean. But will there be some drier that gets pulled in from the upper level low? There's a lot of questions here. But a lot of the guides have been suggesting, the potential for some heavier snowfall, and it depends on where you are. So for now, we're going to have a higher impact for us. We're going to put it four because the heavy snow risk is with us. Because if it does set up and we get some impressive bands over us, we could see more than we've had in quite a few years. Frigid wind chills, we know that for sure. Matter of fact, probably going to see a cold weather advisory, maybe Saturday and again Sunday. And snow drifts are possible. This is a light, fluffy snow, and we're going to have some impressive wind gusts. That's going to push it around. We don't talk about snowdrifts very often and travel is going to be difficult. I think the plows are going to be able to move this snow very easily, but some of the side roads and things like that will get snowpack,

and that could be an issue. 30 right now with some high clouds out there and look at the fields like temperatures bundle up as you head out. Got your 70 forecast coming up in a few minutes, Barbara. All right. Sounds good. Steve, thank you. Well, ready or not, we're looking at that second round of winter weather, DOT and local crews gearing up again. And Michael Perchick is live at the DOT's maintenance yard.

And Raleigh, Michael, Michael, good afternoon. Preparations are underway again, right? Good afternoon, Barbara. We were here last weekend, watching that constant stream of trucks and vehicles, making the way in and out of this parking lot right off the corner of Blue Ridge and Trinity. Likely will be a very similar scene once again this weekend. During last weekend, winter storm, NC DOT dropped 80,000 gallons of brine across North Carolina. This storm expect to be more situated in the air.

eastern and central part of the state. Now the key difference here is the forecast. Kim Dean or public information officer with NCDOT explains the difference between how crews dealt with the ice compared to the current forecast of snowfall. When we had the ice, it becomes very compact and our plows have to work harder to break that ice up as we get it off of the road and then we would put salt down behind it to help the melting. But if you've noticed parking lots and sidewalks, I mean, you could hit it with a hammer and it's very hard. to break up. So much harder than moving soft, light snow off the roads. Understates followed by primary roads it expects to hit all interstates today

finishing up their work by tomorrow afternoon. I'm Michael Perchick. ABC 11 eyewitness news. Work. Thank you so much, Michael. New at noon, the Durham Fire Department is getting ready for the storm as well. Today they're offering critical information on how to stay safe in the snow and ice as well as what to do if the power goes out. Elena Athens joins us joins us live with their message to the public. Elena, good afternoon. Good afternoon to you, Barbara. Yeah, the deputy chief is encouraging people

who have to be out driving this weekend to take it slow, whether or not you have four-wheel drive and also prepare if in case you do in fact lose power. That means placing a generator at least 20 feet away from the home and making sure the exhaust is facing away from the structure. The fire department also says in the past, some people have drug inside their grill for cooking

or warmth. The deputy chief says that is dangerous, as is not using kerosene heaters as intended. If you use gasoline in a kerosene heater, when you go to ignite it, you're going to get burned because it's going to explode, it's going to flash, and it's also going to catch your house on fire. As for the Durham Fire Department, we're being told that they are going to be staffing up this weekend and placing an additional firefighter on each ladder to better respond to emergencies. We're live in Durham. Elena Athens, ABC 11, IWitness News. All right, good message from our first responders. Elena, thank you.

And just as we're starting to see some improvements on the neighborhood roads from last weekend, some students headed back to the classroom today. Wake County Schools on a two-hour delay today. These are students in Apex waiting for the school bus. They have been on remote learning until today. The State Office of Emergency Management is also gearing up for the next winter storm. Today, Governor Stein will deliver a briefing on how the state is preparing. John Downing joins us live with a look ahead.

John, good afternoon. Hey, good afternoon to you, Barbara. It is very booked and busy right here on one of the NCDOT sites here right now. Right behind me here, you have these trucks in line here to fill those tanks you're seeing on camera right now with Brian to spread that. You may have seen that happening earlier today as Michael was just talking about. NCDOT crews already back out on the roads preparing the highways and the head of this next winter storm. Now, Governor Stein is going to make a stop right here this morning. afternoon, I should say, to thank DOT crews for their hard work during last weekend storm,

and that brining work during that last storm went on for days ahead of it, ahead of the impacts that we saw. And now this another storm. This weekend is bringing a threat of snow here to Central North Carolina. Governor Stein will talk about the preparations underway now ahead of this next storm as well. He's expected to be joined by members of the State Emergency Management Department as well as NCDOT members as well. Again, a lot of activity, right here. You're seeing that salt, that big salt barn on your camera right now. That's where we're going to be hearing from Josh Stein later. Governor Josh Stein in about an hour here. We will carry his remarks right here on eyewitness news in about an hour when he gets here. So stick

around and we'll have updates about the preparations going on statewide ahead of this next round of winter weather. Live here in Raleigh, I'm John Dowding. ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, John, thank you so much. And again, as John was saying, the governor's briefing is scheduled for one this afternoon. We're going to carry that and give you his message live here immediately following eyewitness news at noon, so stick around for that. And keep an eye on the possible snow for this weekend, so be sure to download the ABC 11 mobile app. We'll keep you up to date on what's happening in your community

and send you watches and warning straight to your device. Well, new at noon, there is still no unanimous verdict in the Isaiah Ross murder trial after George were unable to reach an agreement yesterday. Ross is accused of murdering two Orange County teenagers. Cindy Bay joins us live from the courthouse with an update. Cindy, good afternoon to you. There's a deadlock on one of the charges. Is that right?

That's right, Barbara. And so the jury deliberations are continuing this morning after the jury failed to agree on a verdict on the charges related to the death of Lyrick Woods. Now, as we show you a look at the courtroom this morning, here's where things stand. So yesterday, the jury says they have a unanimous verdict on the charges regarding Devin Clark. But the jury couldn't agree on the charges related to the death of Lerick Woods. The jury would have to decide whether or not Isaiah Ross is guilty or not to guilty of first-degree murder of Lyric Woods. And so the judge is allowing the deliberation to continue if the jury feels they can get somewhere. And so we're standing by for what happens next. And we will bring you what we know as soon as we can, starting at 4 on eyewitness news in Hillsborough, Cindy, ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, Cindy, thank you.

Right now, an escaped inmate is back in custody and facing additional charges in Robinson County. The sheriff's office captured 26-year-old Zion Brit around five this morning at a motel in Lumberton. Officials say that Brit escaped from custody on Tuesday after posing as another inmate who was scheduled to be released. Brits been transferred back to the Columbus County Detention Center in connection with a 2021 homicide. Authorities say they're still investigating the escape. Well, the FBI raids an election office in Georgia as part of President Trump's demand to investigate the 2020 election. That story just ahead. And borders are Tom Homan admits

the operation of Minneapolis has not gone perfectly in two minutes. The changes he is vowing to make. Plus, we have a sad update on a woman who spent much of her life helping those in need. That story knew at 1230. Watch Lauren Johnson tonight on ABC 11, I Witness News. There is reaction this afternoon after Borders R. Tom Homan addresses concerns about immigration operations in Minneapolis. Homan is promising a reduction in federal agents if local leaders stick to certain agreements. Homan says that they made. As ABC's Rina Roy reports, Homan says improvements could and should be made.

Borders are Tom Homan on the ground in Minneapolis, meeting with local leaders days after the shooting death of Alex Pready. I've been out of ground since Monday to regain law and order. President Trump and I, along with others in the administration, have recognized that certain improvements could and should be made. Homan saying the Trump administration will focus on targeted enforcement operations to remove illegal immigrants, but that the number of federal agents will go down if local officials cooperating. on a number of agreements. My main focus now is drawbound based upon the great conversations I've had with your state and local leaders. Again, I'm not a fool.

I'm not walking away without seeing this put in place. The two federal officers involved in the killing of Preddy, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, are now off-duty and on paid administrative leave. A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson says they've been on leave since Saturday. But that contradicts what Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino told the public on Sunday. All agents that were involved in that scene are working, not in Minneapolis, but in other locations. That's for their safety. We asked about the discrepancy, but have not heard back. Federal investigators reviewing new video in a separate incident appearing to show Prattie in a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis

11 days before he was shot and killed. It's unclear what led up to that altercation. In a statement to ABC News, the Predi family attorney says Pretti was violently assaulted by ICE officers despite posing no threat, and nothing that happened a full week earlier can justify Alex's killing. Rina Roy, ABC News, New York. Bruce Springsteen is dedicating a new song to the people of Minnesota. The protest song is called the streets of Minneapolis.

Springsteen says he wrote and recorded the song over the weekend and released it in response to the second deadly shooting by federal immigration agents. Springsteen says the song is dedicated to not only our immigrant neighbors, but the memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. The ice storm from last weekend is still impacting a number of states. Crews are busy trying to get the power back on in the deep south. That story just ahead. And the family forced to sleep in their car after the pipes burst in their apartment,

leaving a sheet of ice on the floor. Well, conditions are starting. starting to get worse in parts of the deep south, still reeling from the sub-freezing temperatures and the widespread power outages. Officials in Mississippi warned that people stuck at home are running out of food, medicine, and other essentials. Mississippi is now sending 135 snowplows and National Guard troops to the areas to help. As of today, there have been more than 60 deaths across a number of states after last week's storm. A family in Tennessee is among thousands without power and a place to stay. Dylan McCann, his wife.

and their seven children lost everything when their pipes burst inside their apartment. Water and raw sewage turned the floors into the home into a sheet of ice. We open up the door, straight water flood everywhere. Both of my bathrooms are totally destroyed. My apartment ain't the only ones. The apartment next to us too also feel rewarded. The family has been riding around in their car ever since going from one gas station to the next in an effort to keep warm. Wow. So many people have been struggling since this last storm last weekend. And now we have Steve, another system ahead of us.

Snow is better. Let's just get that out there. So it's not ice. It's not freezing rain. You know, the chance of power outages are lower. But it's going to be a really cold event for us from start to finish, more than likely. High clouds out there right now, giving us a mostly cloudy cold view there of downtown. We'll probably be in the mid to upper 30s with those clouds that are past. on by cloudy tomorrow. Some light snow overnight. Wouldn't be much. It's likely going to be just a dusting overnight. But as we get going during the day Saturday, at times there's going to be some moderate, some snow coming on down. The winds are going to be picking up. It's going to be frigid, too. Feels like temperatures could be in a single digits during the course of the day. Winter storm watch for the entire area, late Friday into Saturday, into Sunday, rather. Not going to be every time period there. We're getting snow. Again, this is going to be periods of snow that we'll see. An abundance of cold Arctic air ensures this is an all snow event from a loft all the way down to the surface. Not like last time. We had warm air loft and we really saw that sleet and freezing rain. That's not the case here. Will that upper level low draw on some dry air and put a cabosh on the snow totals? It's a possibility. We've seen that happen before. Some of the guidance now that 12 Z data starting to pull back on some of those snow totals. So we'll see. And this snow is going to be fluffy and light. And the winds can kind of push.

it around. Could even be talking about some snow drips. We don't see that very often at all because it's a different ratio. When you take one inch of water at different temperatures, typically what you see online when people are posting models, it's a 10 to 1 ratio. That's kind of the standard metric we go by. But if it's a wet snow, like we get a lot around here, it's going to be closer to a 5 to 1 ratio. But this event for us to see a 15 to 1 ratio, that's pretty impressive. So if you have an inch of water, that would stack up to 15 inches of snow. I'm not saying we're going to get 15 inches. That's just the ratio that we're going to be using with this.

So confidence is going up that coastal low is going to be in the right location to give us the opportunity for some heavier bands of snow. An abundance of cold Arctic air ensures again, this is an all snow event and still questions on where the heavy band is going to set up, right? So I've got a widespread four to six inches, but there could be a narrow band that sets up somewhere that gives us even more in the way of snow. Big question mark on where that's going to set up if it sets up at all. But most areas are going to get snow out of this. High clouds are streaming on by now and it's enough to give us that cloudy sky out there. You can see that down at North Hills with cloudy skies in 30 degrees. A west breeze though makes it feel like 22.

That wind chill is a little bit biting with low 20s in our northern counties feels like in Fayetteville feels like 28 degrees. There's the genesis of the low. We'll watch it off our coastline on Saturday. Again, enough wrap around moisture to bring the snow in the 20s, ambient temperatures, but it feels a heck of a lot colder. The outer banks can have gusts between 60 and 70 miles an hour, incredible. And then we'll get back to some sunshine later Sunday, but we're still likely below freezing. 30s for highs today, some low 40s down around Fayetteville tonight, low temperatures, teens and 20s. It's a cold night under partly cloudy skies.

Clouds come into play for tomorrow in about 38 degrees. I think tomorrow it's light snow that we'll see overnight into the early morning hours. And then Saturday we'll see some wind pushing that snow around. Well, it feels like temperatures could be in the single digits. And we'll get snow for a good part of the day into early, early Sunday morning. And then we're clearing later on. We might have a cold weather advisory issue by the National Weather Service as we start today could be close to zero. So fingers crossed that the groundhog's going to say it's an early spring, Barbara.

Right. Thank you, Steve. Well, a high-profile senator today enters the governor's race in Minnesota, that story just ahead. And the deputy convicted in the murder of Sonia Massey in her home today will learn his punishment. And a driver is arrested after ramming his car into a synagogue multiple times. Watch Steve Daniels. Tonight on ABC 11, I Witness News. New at noon, the former Illinois deputy convicted of killing a woman in her Springfield home will learn his punishment today. Sean Grayson was found guilty in October of murdering Sonia Massey in her home. Grayson and another deputy responded to a call about a possible intruder in July of 2024.

Gratian shot the 36-year-old after a confrontation between the two of them about a boiling pot of water on the stove. The former deputy could be sentenced between four to 20 years. He is also eligible for probation. New York City police are investigating a possible hate crime after a driver slans into a Brooklyn synagogue. Officials saw a car slam into the rear entrance and then back up and hit the door again. The 36-year-old driver is now in custody and currently being treated as an emotionally disturbed person. North Carolina braces for a significant snowstorm again this weekend. And police say a pregnant woman was killed after selling an item on Facebook marketplace.

Details on how you can protect yourself. And the talk's underway between the White House and Senate leaders in an effort to prevent a government shutdown tomorrow.