A year ago, after the deluge from remnants of Hurricane Helene caused more than 100 deaths and nearly $60 million in damage in western North Carolina, more than a few transplants noted with frustration that they’d moved to the region from coastal areas to avoid the ravages of tropical weather.

When Helene dumped as much as 30 inches of rain in the area – roughly 450 miles from where it came ashore on the Florida Gulf Coast – the deadly torrent of floodwaters offered a stark reminder that storms with names know no boundaries.

After coming ashore near Tampa, Helene swept northward through Georgia and veered to the northwest as it entered North Carolina and Tennessee.

That shift spared Winston-Salem and Greensboro from the worst of Helene’s fury. But what if it had moved into North Carolin

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