Last September, Hurricane Helene caused $53 billion in damage in North Carolina, making it one of the costliest storms in that state’s history. Damage from tropical cyclones is not unheard of in a state that’s taken direct hits from 84 of them since 1851.
What sets Helene apart is the fact that the bulk of that damage occurred 300 miles from the coast and 400 miles from where Helene came ashore in Florida, dispelling the notion that dangerous and damaging impacts from tropical cyclones are just a coastal concern.
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