Here's a small bit on History of Hurricanes in NC -
State Climate Office of North Carolina: NC Hurricanes (http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/hurricane.php - broken link)
But it doesn't show info for the Greensboro area, which is much farther inland. Alot of inland areas will tend to get the effects from a hurricane, but rarely the intensity...so think lots of thunderstorms, winds, and maybe even hail.
Having lived through 2 hurricanes, a nearby tornado, a flood and an earthquake, I can tell you the hurricane run off you might experience wouldn't be bad. BUT, if you are from say Ohio and don't get much thunderstorms like the south, then what you need to keep in mind are:
- street drainage
- how high your house sits on your lot
- age and health of trees immediately surrounding your home
- window insulation and durability
- having a safe area in the house, such as a basement or inner structure to stay in - case a hurricane does strike (your innermost structure could be a hallway or a bathroom doorframe, or even closet).
- supplies that are standard: a transsistor radio or TV, water, manual can openers and bottle openers and things like this. Not to mention all kinds of first aid, just in case.
The humidity in NC is what makes it feel so much worse. Personally I don't think it's as bad as Atlanta , GA or Jacksonville, FL, but it gets close!With any area there is a period of acclimatization. The year year is hardest (whether going to colder or to warmer), the second year you notice some adjsuting. By the 4th year you're doing great! Give it time. I hear some people acclimatize within 6 months! Not me!
Here's a precipitation link from the Weather Channel:
Average Weather for Greensboro, NC - Temperature and Precipitation
All of NC has been hit pretty hard with the drought. I'm hoping to get a mature lot with lots of trees. Although it's not as safe, I do like the smell of hot pines in the summer. So sweet!
As for Global Warming, I'm with you and I take this very seriously. I think NC will become more arid over time perhaps, but who's to say for sure? That's the catch.
Something to keep in mind about flooding and mudslides - when the soil has been dry for a long time, especially if it's dense like clay soil is, then a sudden deluge of rain (like 8 inches) can cause serious problems because the soil can't take in the water the way it normally would have, or might. So, considering this, you don't want a really flat area (think Texas and all the trouble they've been having).
Tornados, which are a common fringe storm off the larger ones tend to happen in belts along the air stream. If you watch the weather channel often enough you will see the wind patterns in the US are pretty much the same all the time. There are wind "belts" all across the planets, dipping south occasionally or north. In the states in the north we get one that comes downwards heading east from the North (like Alaska). Montana, Wyoming are very cold winters and gets lots of snow. That one tends to dip back up as it either meets the great lakes or New York.
The other one comes from the gulf. This is what gives the south al the way from Texas to DC it's warm weather and humidity. This is where we get most of our rain from. In the last few years, it seems it's not heading as East as much, so the rain stops short in the mountains and doesn't come as far as Raleigh as it once did. But it can change, too.
Keep in mind, the sun has a 11 year cycle which also affects weather and heat.
Well, I have to go eat some lunch now. I hope this answers your questions some.
~ Angie
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