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The docks take a curve at Sailcraft Marina. (Joe Clark photo)

11:11a Rain today, won’t be happening until tomorrow.

OK, that sentence doesn’t quite jive. But we did have expectations of a wet Saturday. Precipitation is now not forecast until after midnight, with temperatures actually rising overnight. As a result, local icy conditions are unlikely.

An updated video from NOAA showing precipitation timing. Red = freezing rain, green just rain.

11:05a More weather changes: The Angry Lobster food truck at New Village Brewery has cancelled today due to weather conditions.

10:55a Today was set to be the day for Nautical Wheeler’s monthly wine tastings. The weather situation has re-scheduled that: From Bill Wheeler:

Postponed, same great wines but next weekend. This weekend’s wine tastings with Stephanie at Nautical Wheelers are being postponed until Friday, January 30th New Bern 4-6, Saturday, January 31st at 2 and 3pm in Oriental.
These wines are waiting on the shelves and a few folks have already picked up a bottle of the Paso Robles Red while preparing for snow and ice. Nautical Wheelers is open 10- 5:30 every day, rain or sleet or sunshine.

3:40p Some folks move away from Oriental… then miss this odd lil’ town, and move back a few years later. Some do it more than once.

One couple may have top billing in this category. They have moved away, and came back, nine times over 40 years.

In between it all, they have built houses and boats. Meet Katy Burke & Taz Waller.

The latest NOAA update continues to suggest that freezing rain Saturday will stay west of Oriental.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Weather Radar
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

8:37a When does trouble arrive? This video from NOAA shows the precipitation arriving. Red means freezing rain, green is just rain.

4:45p Total ice projections from NOAA now show all ice accumulation will be west of us. ‘

For our town, nada, zip, nuthin.

9:24a Putting aside anxiety about a wintery weekend, today is nice. Really nice.

Partly sunny, highs about 60. You lucky dawg.

OK. Back to weather anxiety.

Is your boat ready for the weekend? One part of boat life and weather is marine canvas. Breena Litzenberger takes a look a boat canvas and winter weather… in Canvas Corner.

8:17a The weekend is looking less scary than forecast, at least for our locale. Getting freezing rain/snow is possible, but now just a 5% possibility. Likely: wet & windy.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Weather Radar
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

12:27p This weekend’s potentially nasty weather has caused a change in plans for the Old Theater. From President Mary Taylor:

See a play on the stage or check out a few new yoga moves? This weekend, you can do both.

Tonight grab a burrito or quesadilla from Taco San Luis then walk inside to the Brewery for a stout (or non-alcoholic option for those doing Dry January).

Check out the usual suspects on Saturday: the Oriental Farmer’s Market from 8-11a on Hodges, La Cocina Del Coqui at the Brewery from 4-8p, or Mariposa (Saturday and Sunday) in the morning, 7-10a, evening 6-9p.

Try something new Saturday at 2p at Prasada Yoga. See the studio, meet the teachers, try a free Yoga class. It might make your 2026 more flexible.

Saturday night, head to The Old Theater at 7:30p to see a movie the old fashioned way: on a stage with live actors. The North Carolina History Theater presents 5 tales from short story master O. Henry in their adaptation of Friends, Lovers & All That Other Stuff.

There’s another chance to see the play Sunday at 3p. Tickets for either show can be purchased online or at the door.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

9:26a It’s been about a year since Oriental last experienced a snowfall: January 22, 2025 according to the TownDock.net archives.

Here’s the drone view of a wintery Oriental:

We might get a bit of the stuff again come Sunday, but it’s not expected to stick around.

Today is mostly sunny and breezy, with temps near 40 and northwest winds at 15-20 mph.

Tonight, temperatures are below freezing – down to the lower 20s. The wind chill values for tonight may drop as low as 14.

10:24a Craving tacos, burritos, or quesadillas for lunch? El Taco Loco is in town today.

The food truck visits Triton Yachts Boat Yard on Midyette St. at 11a. Going forward, El Taco Loco plans to visit Triton Yachts every Wednesday.

If you’re looking to hear – or play – live music this week, you have two options:

• Open Mic Night at The Silos tonight at 7p. Bring your voice, your instrument, or both. Music happens upstairs.

• Music Jams Third & Fifth Thursday at Pamlico Community College tomorrow night. Free and open to the public. Bring your instrument to play or pull up a chair and just listen. Jam starts at 6p in the PCC Delamar Auditorium.

10:31a Last week, daily temps were mostly in the 60s, with lows above 40. Overnight, temps dropped down to 28 degrees. The Oriental Weather Station’s 10-day temperature graph shows the change:

This week, daily highs will bounce between mid 40s to mid 50s, and lows range from 30 to 40 most evenings.

Wednesday is the exception: temps will be near 60. There’s a chance of rain Wednesday and Thursday, with overnight lows below freezing Thursday night.

January’s monthly Town Board meeting has been moved to coincide with their Quarterly Workshop. It is at 9a, Thursday January 29 at Town Hall, and open to the public.

3:38p Before choosing your Sunday cultural experience, you have to get through the first half of the weekend. And it starts tonight.

Friday evening, visit Tanja’s German Street Food at the Brewery for an authentic Döner sandwich (and more), from 5-8p.

Saturday, Mariposa returns with fresh baked goods in the morning from 7-10a and wine and charcuterie in the late afternoon and evenings, 3-8p.

Get fresh produce at the Oriental Farmer’s Market along Hodges Street from 8 – 11a.

Brant Island plays at the Brewery from 3-5, while Jasmine Tasty Thai serves chicken pad Thai, curry and more, 4-8p.

Details of Sunday’s Choose Your Own (Cultural) Adventure are below.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

11:22a Come Sunday afternoon, you have a decision to make.

Culture, or culture?

Sunday at 4:30p ArcoStrum performs at the River Dunes Harbor Club, presented by Pamlico Musical Society. ArcoStrum is violinist Strauss Shi and guitarist TY Zhang.

As a virtuoso alternative, there are sheriffs, horses and trains coming to the Old Theater screen:

Blazing Saddles, Sunday 3p at the Old Theater.

4:42p This afternoon, one of Oriental’s own returned to town. Hoover, the large orange cat, was returned by car to his home at the Oriental Marina and Inn.

He’d been missing for the last month. Thanks to a microchip, he was located at an animal shelter in Chapel Hill.

No one knows how Hoover got that far away, though he has been known to climb into boats and on trailers for a nap. Thanks to the efforts of Amy Dish and her friends, Hoover was able to catch a ride back home.

Always the outdoor cat, Hoover’s now busy reacquainting himself with his old territory: Hodges Street in front of The Bean and Harbor View Day Spa down to the intersection of the Oriental Marina & Inn and Marsha’s Cottage.

8:23a The Polar Plunge, a cold weather dip in the Neuse, is a few weeks away: Saturday, January 31. But that gives you time to prepare.

Mentally. Physically. Fashionably.

Past participants took the plunge as penguins, pirates, and walruses. One brave soul displayed his Canadian pride, wearing a maple leaf, a cape, and little else.

Start shoring up your mental defenses. Stretch your muscles. Pick the perfect outfit.

And sign up to support Pamlico Special Olympics’ Polar Plunge.

10:22a If you see Joe Valinoti today, Happy Birthday would be the right greeting.

8:41a It’s a little cool out there: 38 degrees as of this writing.

But warmer weather will prevail today and throughout the week. High is near 60, with temps in the mid 60s to 70s through Friday.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

Bow to Stern has open sailing on their Cape Dory Typhoons today at 3p. Bring your own crew or join one of their experienced sailors.

Capricorn aligned pets may want to check out the Weekly Pet Horoscopes for tips on long-term planning and renegotiating social contracts with your human providers.

3:57p It’s a quiet, wintery weekend in Oriental, but there will be food trucks at the Brewery and the Oriental Farmer’s Market is on for Saturday morning.

Friday night, Roadside Dogs serves on site at the Brewery from 4:30 – 7:30p. Inside, grab a pint of New Village’s own Chick Will’s Widow Black IPA and Ol’ Store English Ale.

Saturday, get your fresh greens and a few treasures at the Oriental Farmer’s Market. It happens on Hodges Street near the harbor, from 8 – 11a.

Saturday, special hours at the brewery: opening @ noon along with Cousins Maine Lobster food truck. The truck serves up lobster rolls and warm bowls of clam chowder until 7p. The Brewery has a fresh batch of Lili’s Breakfast Stout on tap.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

Need some guidance for the upcoming year? Salty Celeste has your 2026 horoscope forecast.

11:00a The New Year’s Day Instead of Football Regatta marked a new milestone: the winner of the regatta actually won the regatta.

Typically it doesn’t matter who crosses the finish line first; regatta winners are drawn at the Skipper’s Meeting that happens after the sail.

This year’s first place winner was SV Tula, captained by Jeb Blackwell.

2nd place: SV Mariposa, Capt. Moe Jones
3rd place: Bow to Stern’s Cal 25, Capt. Jere Julian

9:43a Don’t want to watch football?

There’s other options.

Join the Instead of Football Regatta today at noon. For the last 32 years, sailors have met on the water on New Year’s Day to sail around the marks. There are no rules. No sailing instructions. Warning horn is at 11:55a at Oriental marker #1.

The Mandatory Skipper’s meeting is after the race. Bring a small gift and meet at The Silos at 3p.

Find out more here.

8:43a Tonight, touch a dragon for good luck. You have two chances – 8 & 11:30.

The smaller dragon comes out tonight too. You’ll see this one dancing around Hodges St. at both runs.

The big dragon runs only comes out once a year, making both runs. Bring your pots and pans to make noise for the dragon, or to just scare the bad spirits away from the coming year.

8:39a Temps chilled down to 24 overnight. From the Oriental Weather Station:

click image for larger view

It will be chilly tonight for the Dragon Runs, but not extremely so. Expect temps about 40.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

4:19p Thank you… all the 2026 Dragon patron slots are now filled.

3:50p The TownDock HQ bar wants to open, but it can’t quite yet.

Just one more Dragon Patron needed. Read on…

9:10a It’s time to make sure Oriental doesn’t have a homeless Dragon.

One day each year we band together to make sure the Oriental Dragon has a proper Dragon’s Lair.

Today is that day. The Dragon is BIG. You can’t just put him on a closet shelf.

While waiting for his New Year’s Eve gig, he gets stored in a dry protected unit at Village Mini Storage, made possible through the generosity of Friends Of The Dragon.

Click here and learn how you can become a Friend Of The Dragon.

8:50a Dragon Master Jim Edwards needs a little help with the New Year’s Eve Dragon and Croaker, getting ready for their big night. Jim writes in:

Call Jim at 252-474-6000.

Today starts out sunny, then the afternoon brings clouds and maybe rain (then clearing again tonight). Come Tuesday sunshine… but those clear skies bring cold:

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast