When you live in North Carolina, you come to think of snow as an ephemeral thing. 

Look at it too long and you might look it out of existence. 

But for the second weekend in a row, the state is staring down the potential of a significant winter storm. This time might actually bring a better chance for light, fluffy snow, and not that heavy, wintry mix stuff that brings down power lines and makes the roads a nightmare. 

Let’s take a look at the potential “bomb cyclone“—WHAT?😂— heading our way, and the scenarios that will determine if we get snow and how much.

AccuWeather’s forecast shows the winter storm potential for North Carolina this weekend, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, and Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (USA Today via Reuters)

You can practically smell the weekend from here. Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: 

Thanks to Cardinal & Pine reader Mark Levin of Columbus, NC. He shared this video of his visit with the famous Dambo trolls at the NC Arboretum in Asheville.

When Donald Trump gave Michael Whatley the title of “recovery czar” in western NC, it probably seemed like a gift. 

Whatley, a behind-the-scenes organizer with the Republican Party, needed the name recognition to bolster his run for the US Senate in 2026. But the slow rollout of federal funds to help the recovery is coming back to haunt Whatley. 

I explained the whole controversy in a few minutes. Take a minute to watch, like, and share. 

Damage from Hurricane Helene in Burnsville, NC. A North Carolina lawmaker says the wrong people are paying the cost for climate change. (Dylan Rhoney/Cardinal & Pine)

Climate change is not a thing we’re predicting. It’s a thing that’s happening. 

In a new op-ed for Cardinal & Pine, state Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat representing Wake County, talks about how her constituents are already paying for the changes: 

“They’re talking about insurance bills that jumped again this year. They’re talking about flooded roads that seem to wash out every time it rains hard. They’re talking about school closures, power outages, mold, and repairs that keep getting pushed to next season because the money isn’t there yet. All of that is climate, whether we call it that or not.”

von Haefen says it’s time that the fossil fuel industry in North Carolina pays its share of the costs. This is a must-read.

1. Endowment gives Wilmington’s city, county $7.7M for land acquisition, conservation. Port City Daily

“The Endowment announced a grant of $7.7 million to help the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County governments acquire land to conserve and create a community-centered park.”

2. North Carolina cut voting sites at nation’s largest HBCU. Students are suing. Democracy Docket

“A group of North Carolina students sued Republican state officials Tuesday to restore early voting sites on three college campuses across the state, including at the United States’ largest historically Black college.”

3. Gov. Stein declares State of Emergency for North Carolina ahead of latest winter storm. WBTV

“The order, Stein said, would ensure North Carolina would qualify for federal assistance if it was needed. The order also activated the State Emergency Response Team ahead of time.”

(E.Va/Shutterstock)

It surprised me to learn that, three years after we published a guide to zodiac signs, it’s one of our most popular stories at Cardinal & Pine. 

In that spirit, Cardinal & Pine correspondent Jessica F. Simmons has written an updated guide to finding your zodiac sign, what that means, and what it means when someone asks you “what’s your sign?” 

It’s not what you think. 

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m an NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Today’s edition includes stories from USA Today via Reuters, Julie von Haefen, and Jessica F. Simmons. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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