Cruz Medina
Cruz was born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina. He attended Fike High School and then North Carolina State University where he graduated from with his degree in Meteorology. He is excited to be back home, close to family and to explore all the beautiful parts of his home state.
Upon graduating from NC State, Cruz worked in Green Bay, Wisconsin at WBAY-TV for a year and a half. There, he covered major winter storms, dangerous cold-snaps, and severe weather. Living there he experienced the coldest temperatures he had ever felt with wind chills down in the negative.
After living in Green Bay, he wanted to move back south where it was warmer. His next adventure took him to Nashville, Tennessee to work at WSMV-TV. As a huge country music fan, Nashville felt like home. While living in Middle Tennessee, he faced a different kind of challenge covering weather. Cruz covered several tornado outbreaks during his time in Tennessee, including the December 2023 tornado outbreak. Multiple deaths were reported as twisters moved through the area.
As an NC Native, he is familiar with all the types of weather that affect the state and is ready to cover any and everything that comes our way. You may see him out and about with his furry son, his golden doodle Rayo. Cruz loves school visits and meeting viewers, so make sure to say hi if you see him!
You can catch Cruz on ABC11 on weekend evenings and at noon and 4 pm Monday through Wednesday.
Cruz's Stories
Tree pollen ramps up across central North Carolina
Trees are waking up due to the recent warm spell we've experienced across central NC and that means pollen counts are increasing.
Snowflakes could follow chilly rain in central NC midweek
Outside of a light snow Wednesday night, this will be mainly a rain event for the region.
Northern lights possible tonight in central NC due to geomagnetic storm
A massive burst of charged particles embedded in a magnetic field that interacts with Earth's magnetic field is expected to arrive within the next 24 hours.
2025 one of the warmest years on record for the U.S., NOAA climate report shows
The average annual temperature was 54.6(F). This is 2.6(F) above the 20th-century average.
How NCDOT prepares for the winter season
Winter is here, but long before the season arrives NCDOT makes preparations to ensure they're ready when winter weather strikes.
The Geminid Meteor Shower peaks tonight
The Geminid Meteor Shower is one of the best shows in the night sky each year.
Full Beaver Moon visible tonight in central NC
This is the second of three supermoons in 2025.
Risk of deer-related crashes increase when daylight saving time ends, clocks fall back an hour
With darkness arriving earlier, more drivers will be on the road during peak deer activity hours.
Tropical Storm Melissa forms in the Caribbean
Melissa is the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
NC Forest Service gives tips for preventing wildfires amid drought conditions
The N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to protect homes and livelihoods by taking action to reduce wildfire risk.