Why mountain towns and inland regions need to prepare more for hurricanes

Western North Carolina provides an important case study of a hurricane season risk that might seem rare but can be catastrophic.

The French Broad River winds through the mountains of western North Carolina, fed by dozens of mountain streams, and crosses the city of Asheville. At over 2,000 feet above sea level and more than 250 miles from the coast, it is an unlikely place to prepare for a hurricane.