Hurricane Helene

At the end of September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought “three days of extreme, unrelenting precipitation” to the mountains of North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State Climate Office at N.C. State University. “It was close to a worst-case scenario for western North Carolina as seemingly limitless tropical moisture, enhanced by interactions with the high terrain, yielded some of the highest rainfall totals — followed by some of the highest river levels, and the most severe flooding — ever observed across the region.”

After conducting a needs assessment to identify counties hit hardest, EdNC has provided ongoing coverage of the region and strategic support to the small, rural counties of Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, and Watauga, including using the content for stories to also write grants totaling more than $3 million.