Outer Banks Times

The potent hurricane season finally concluded on November 30, leaving the eastern coastal regions secure and well-protected. This year's end brings relief to communities prone to storm damage, particularly in North Carolina, one of the nation's most susceptible states to direct hurricane impacts.

North Carolina's location, with its coastline stretching into the ocean, ranks it as one of the areas in the United States that are most vulnerable to direct hurricane impacts. A report by Ready NC Gov indicates that all regions of the state have suffered from hurricanes' repercussions over the past twenty years. Coastal areas, sound counties, and mountainous regions alike have faced destructive outcomes due to intense winds, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flooding, storm surges, and even landslides caused by these weather disturbances.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs annually from June 1 to November 30. The highest risk of hurricanes for North Carolina falls during August through October as indicated by an article from Policy Genius. Predictions from Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), a respected forecasting team specializing in hurricanes, projected a 15% decrease in the Atlantic hurricane activity for 2023 compared to the three-decade average. However, residents are still advised to ensure their homes are adequately insured ahead of each hurricane season.

For two decades now, hurricanes have significantly impacted various parts of North Carolina. Towns and cities along its Atlantic coastline prove notably vulnerable according to another article from Policy Genius. Areas such as Outer Banks and Cape Hatteras frequently face storm damages due to their geographical predispositions towards these weather events. An exemplifying instance is Hurricane Florence which severely damaged Wrightsville Beach back in 2018. Furthermore, four years prior Hurricane Matthew brought about catastrophic flooding within Robeson, Edgecombe Cumberland and Wayne counties in October 2016.