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Why Was the Flooding in Asheville, North Carolina, So Extreme? Meteorologists Explain
The extreme flooding that devastated Asheville, North Carolina, following Hurricane Helene was not solely due to the storm itself. A combination of atmospheric conditions and the region’s unique topography significantly worsened the situation, experts revealed.
Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida’s Big Bend on September 26 as a Category 4 hurricane, left a path of destruction that stretched far inland. With winds reaching 140 mph and a 15-foot storm surge, Helene continued to wreak havoc as it traveled north, causing tornadoes in five states and dropping over 30 inches of rain in parts of North Carolina.
In Asheville, however, the remnants of Helene collided with a region already saturated from prior rainfall. Experts say this “precursor rain event,” combined with the area’s mountainous landscape, led to dangerous flash flooding. The French Broad River, which flows through Asheville, quickly overflowed, inundating nearby neighborhoods.
Topography and Weather Patterns to Blame
The topography of the Asheville region, nestled within the Appalachian Mountains, played a significant role in the flooding. Yuh-Lang Lin, an atmospheric science professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, explained that orographic lifting—a process in which mountains force air upward—caused water vapor to condense into heavy rain as it combined with the remnants of Hurricane Helene. The geography funneled this rainwater into valleys and streams, resulting in flash floods.
“The mountainous terrain amplified the impact,” said Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia. “Trillions of gallons of moisture were funneled into the region, creating the perfect storm for flooding.”
Climate Change’s Role in Extreme Weather Events
Climate change is also being eyed as a contributing factor to the intensity of the storm and the subsequent flooding. The warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico provided Hurricane Helene with more moisture, which resulted in heavier rainfall as the storm tracked inland. According to the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment, extreme rainfall events in the Southeastern U.S. have increased by 37% in recent decades.
“Climate change is causing extreme rainfall events to become more frequent and intense,” noted Art DeGaetano, director of NOAA’s Northeast Regional Climate Center. Rising global temperatures are intensifying the water cycle, leading to heavier rains and greater flood risks, especially in regions with aging infrastructure unprepared for such volumes of water.
Historical Context and Future Concerns
Flooding of this magnitude is not unprecedented in Asheville. A similar event, known as the “Great Flood of 1916,” claimed 80 lives in the region. However, as climate change accelerates, experts warn that such catastrophic flooding could become more common.
As communities across the Southeast begin the recovery process, the impacts of Hurricane Helene serve as a stark reminder of the growing dangers posed by extreme weather events fueled by climate change.
Source: ABC News
