The science behind how a Florida hurricane ravaged North Carolina
Climate change is making hurricanes stronger and wetter. Mountains can lead storms to dump more rain. The combination can be destructive.
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andAsheville and its surrounding towns in western North Carolina had just been soaked by a severe rainstorm when the remnants of Hurricane Helene slammed into the Blue Ridge Mountains.
What unfolded, starting Wednesday evening and lasting through the weekend, is a well-studied atmospheric phenomenon.