November Rain in July: Raleigh Guns N' Roses fans get weather & traffic luck for concert

Rock and roll fans heading to Carter-Finley Stadium for Guns N' Roses Thursday night lucked out, with most of the headliners' set being nearly rain-free. 

Thursday was a WRAL Weather Alert Day due to the threat of periods of heavy rain in the afternoon, around the time fans were arriving to the stadium for the concert. There was a flood watch for Raleigh and much of central North Carolina during the day.

The weather on Thursday has already been a massive headache before the concert, with rain and storms causing flooding, power outages, downed trees and even a crash on I-440.

Fans said they arrived early and packed their rain gear, hopeful that there would be no serious storms that would lead to delays or even a cancellation. 

Carter-Finley Stadium is no stranger to massive concerts and the traffic headaches that come with them. The stadium's notorious traffic reputation started in 2009, when U2 came to perform. The event drew about 60,000 people to the stadium. However, some fans missed the concert, while others told WRAL News that they never made it inside.

One ticket holder told WRAL News that a state trooper told them the parking lots were full, and another said that traffic was backed up for six miles on Interstate 40.

The stadium is getting a one-two punch this week for massive concerts. Once Guns N' Roses leave town, Noah Kahan will take the stadium on Saturday.

In 2025, the stadium hosted Chris Brown for its first major concert since Beyoncé in 2016. The concert led to massive traffic problems in and around the stadium. NC State University said it and the Raleigh Police Department are working to prevent similar issues between the two concerts this week.

“We worked with the police department to make sure that we’re as prepared as we can be, to make sure that it’s a big event for the city and for NC State and for the residents,” said Boo Corrigan, NC State's athletic director.

Three additional parking locations were added near the stadium to help alleviate traffic concerns. Parking lots opened at 1:30 p.m. Thursday to accommodate drivers coming early.