Asheville

As extreme weather forecasts improve, warnings struggle to get through

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Before Hurricane Helene began devastating parts of the southeastern U.S., Amanda Wright had expected some rain and perhaps some flooding in the area around Knoxville, Tennessee, where she lives. It wasn’t until friends more than two hours away in Asheville, North Carolina, started posting warnings on Facebook that Wright realized how dangerous the storm could … Read more

The science behind how a Florida hurricane devastated North Carolina

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Asheville and surrounding towns in western North Carolina had just been drenched by a heavy rainstorm when the remnants of Hurricane Helene slammed into the Blue Ridge Mountains. What unfolded starting Wednesday evening and lasting throughout the weekend is a well-studied atmospheric phenomenon. “As the weather moves toward the mountains, the clouds have to rise … Read more