Good morning, North Carolina! Here's what you need to know today.

The Big Story

Carowinds' parent company considering proposal from SeaWorld

The company that owns and operates Carowinds in Charlotte is considering a proposal from SeaWorld Entertainment, according to a company press release and national media reports.

Carowinds' parent company, Cedar Fair, owns 11 amusement parks and four outdoor water parks.

Your Weather Planner

A strong cold front is on the way, but before it arrives, a milder and windy day is in store for the state on Friday.

Showers will be ongoing into the morning across the western half of the state while the eastern side will see a mostly cloudy sky. Temperatures will be coolest in the mountains, with lows in the 40s, while most other spots across the state feel morning lows in the 50s.

Rain will shift to the eastern side of the state during the afternoon and evening, but mild and very breezy conditions will prevail. Highs will reach the 60s and 70s from the Piedmont over to the coast, while the mountains will feel 40s and 50s in the afternoon.

But a big cold blast is headed our way by Friday night and Saturday as temperatures plummet on the back side of the front. A cold and blustery day is in store for Saturday.

Get your full forecast:
Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Coastal | Mountains

 

Around North Carolina

1. Durham drone pilots helping monitor Winston-Salem fertilizer plant fire

Drones are helping monitor the fertilizer plant fire in Winston-Salem. The Durham Fire Department, which has been using drones in firefighting for a year and a half, reached out to offer its services to crews in Winston-Salem.

2. Firefighters make progress on fertilizer plant blaze, evacuation zone reduced

Firefighters who had pulled back from the blaze in Winston-Salem because of the threat of an explosion are now at the site and working to control the fire. An evacuation zone that was set for a 1-mile radius around the plant was reduced Thursday night to 660 feet.

3. New Lumbee leader considers legal action for federal recognition

The Lumbee Tribe has pushed for federal recognition for more than a century, and although there is support from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, that status has never made it through the full legislative process. 

Around The Nation

1. Going for the Gold: 10 Americans to watch in the Beijing Winter Olympics

2. Nearly 5,000 flights canceled across U.S. amid winter storm

3. New unemployment claims fall to 238,000, drop for second straight week

Editor's Pick - Farmers deal with rising prices as fertilizer plant fire continues in Winston-Salem

Supply chain issues and a national shortage are contributing to the rising cost of fertilizer, which farmers faced even before the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant fire broke out Monday night.