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We currently live in Southern California. And it's a beautiful area with lots to do and we love our friends and community. Our home sits sort of semi-coastal.
We're from SoCal as well and have lived here in RDU since, well, August (well, at least my other half has consistently). I've been flying back and forth from coast to coast for weeks at a time. Every time I go back to CA and return to NC, I feel more at home at NC. However, yes, I prefer the beach/coastal communities as well. Although, I'm discovering the lakes are quite nice too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaligirl
Why not coastal, well we cannot afford it here and the East coast frightens me a bit with Hurricanes, I know that probably sounds silly to most, but I'd prefer to be inland a bit. So can anyone tell me how far inland the hurricanes come? and now someone else mentioned tornados? I used to be more tough than this, but after motherhood, it's like my heart is running around outside my body with fast feet and freckles. I dont take uninformed chances anymore so please take pity on my lack of knowledge and inform me of the real deal! Educate me please and if anyone wants Earthquake knowledge I'd be happy to share it, LOL.
Personally, I don't even think about earthquakes since I lived through and experienced nearby most of the epicenters of L.A.'s biggest. Hurricanes and tornadoes seem much more scary to me. However, did that stop us? No.
Having been here for a good part of the year, and during hurricane season, we really did not experience terribly weather. I think the locals might think it's worse than the reality of things (there were two days of light snow this past winter, and everyone we knew seemed to be overly concerned about it). Of course, hurricanes are such that they should be taken seriously and precautions must be met. I believe that hurricanes will have an effect inland, but from what I have been told, the eye of such things usually don't go that far inland to affect RDU and further west.
Tornadoes? I've heard people mention them, but no one has ever brought up a real incident in the RDU area (I believe there have been a few spotted ones in NC, but they're probably more along the lines of the ones that pop up in isolated areas like those we heard about in Los Angeles). Most people talk about the ice storm a few years back. Nothing more drastic than that.
I've even heard that hurricanes never really make a direct hit on the coast of NC (Wilmington, etc). Supposedly because of the shape of the state and the currents that are produced. I was down in Wilmington last year for a few weeks during a HEAVY thunder and lightening downpour. Yes, very heavy, but quite fun. However, most people here will stay clear of such things, so driving in it isn't bad at all. I imagine that building codes are such that housing is built to withstand certain hits, just like our earthquake standards in the west (but this I have not confirmed).
The fact of the matter is that there are REAL seasons here in NC. And real weather systems. However, people around here live well and happy for the most part. What they don't have is a bunch of spoiled whiny citizens who have no sense of community values (sure, every city has them, but not to the extent of Los Angeles). Good people. Great hospitality. A wonderful place to raise children, I imagine. Driving is a much great pleasure here.
So, weather wise, we were concerned as well. But thus far, we have not experienced anything that we (having lived in L.A. all our lives) could not manage. And manage well. Of course, hurricanes, like earthquakes, we have concerns about and will prepare with caution since we have oak trees surrounding our house and property, there is only so much paranoia we will allow to set in before such paranoia becomes so invasive that it's not worth it to stay anymore. And that's not gonna happen. We'll roll with the punches if the hurricanes are presented for the sake of a better more affordable lifestyle surrounded by a much better community.
Sure, I still emit some whines now and again. I would do that any where. But simply look up online any city in NC you're interested in living and seek out it's history of weather issues. That might help ease things. However, we live inland in RDU in a 1920's home... it's been here a long time. It'll be here a lot longer keeping us safe inside should some anomaly, like an earthquake, pops up.
Good luck in your research. It'll take some adjustments, however minor, but you'll not regret the move. One note, if you like the water, find something near it. We're not too far from a lake ourselves, and it's nice to visit. But, I think in a few years, once we're adjusted completely and I have my new energy related business up and running, we'll probably buy something on the coast. Gotta have my waves!
Hi Caliboy
Thanks for the post and all your tips from your experience. It's good to hear someone's move and transition is going well. It can be done and (although an adjustment) it can be fun too.
I think the reason I have questions about hurricanes and tornados stems from the "unknown". When you have grown up with a weather or natural disaster type thing it becomes second nature. You know what to expect, what to do etc. That's why I mentioned the earthquakes, to me, since I've been here long enough to adjust, it's not such the big deal anymore. And I want to be prepared with NC's possibilties so that I am as prepared as I can be for them as well.
I'd really like to know how far inland they come....so I can find a home within driving distance to the ocean for weekend trips, but not in the potential hazzard areas (overall, I know no one can predict everything).
Thanks again for sharing your info.
Kali
Last edited by Kaligirl; 05-27-2007 at 12:21 AM..
Reason: too tired to type correctly geesh
I'd really like to know how far inland they come....so I can find a home within driving distance to the ocean for weekend trips, but not in the potential hazzard areas (overall, I know no one can predict everything).
No one here could adequately predict a hurricane, I imagine, but history is the only thing we have to reference. I believe the worst hurricane to hit NC recently (that affected the inland area equally as hard) was probably Hurricane Fran (in 1996). Hurricane Fran hit near the city of Wilmington and progressed as far inland as the Raleigh-Durham area. Based on numbers online, damage estimated 1.275 billion dollars in NC alone.
I'm sure locals here can account for smaller hits in the recent decade, but everyone who was here back then accounts for this big one. Just like all the earthquakes we get back in CA, we really only talk about the big ones like Northridge, Whittier Narrows, Sylmar, etc.
The following site has a lot of information of all the hurricanes and types that have hit NC:
State Climate Office of North Carolina: NC Hurricanes (http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/hurricane.php - broken link)
You might be able to drill down into the page to see how far inland. However, when a hurricane hits, and it's been told that 2007 should be an active season, everyone will feel some effects of it a good deal inland as far out as the Appalachians. The further west, of course, the less of an impact.
Being from CA, we feel comfortable with the lower odds that we'll have a terrible hit here in Durham. Sure, we'll experience heavy weather, but a direct hit, not. We're a few hours away from Wilmington (still too far for me since I'm a beach person) and just over three hours from the outer banks (if I drive straight through without stopping). In time, we'll make our way to the coast, hurricane threat and all.
I would simply say that if you buy or rent something, and you want a bit of security, I imagine you'll look for a residence that doesn't have water drainage issues that are directed toward the home with the home above the water line. Second floor condo perhaps? No nearby trees that can land on the home? I dunno. Again, locals, I hope, will begin to respond. We have those big oak trees that surround our property and home... beautiful wonders, but scary I imagine during a big storm.
Good luck and happy investigating. The worry of hurricanes is really minimized by the positive experience of living here. That's for sure.
Hi,
I am also looking into NC for a future home. Just wanted to say I've lived in south FL for over 17 years, been through 6 hurricanes, several tropical storms, etc. I've never had any major problems as a result, with the exception of power-loss for a couple of weeks. It becomes more of a nuisance than anything else. My home is made of concrete block and steel, and stucco, so I feel pretty safe from the elements. I would recommend looking for a structure made of something such as this, rather than just wood-frame, if you want extra protection. But I seriously doubt that all that way inland, you will have much to worry about in a hurricane but some moderate wind and heavy rain--no big deal. They really lose strength once they hit land. I'd think flooding might be more of a problem.
Tornadoes--now that's scary!
Hi,
I am also looking into NC for a future home. Just wanted to say I've lived in south FL for over 17 years, been through 6 hurricanes, several tropical storms, etc. I've never had any major problems as a result, with the exception of power-loss for a couple of weeks. It becomes more of a nuisance than anything else. My home is made of concrete block and steel, and stucco, so I feel pretty safe from the elements. I would recommend looking for a structure made of something such as this, rather than just wood-frame, if you want extra protection. But I seriously doubt that all that way inland, you will have much to worry about in a hurricane but some moderate wind and heavy rain--no big deal. They really lose strength once they hit land. I'd think flooding might be more of a problem.
Tornadoes--now that's scary!
I agree tornadoes are scary. At least with Hurricanes you get a fair amount of warning.
I'm from NC coast and have seen minor to major hurricanes. The majority of them are very comparable to a "nor-easter" (wind, sometimes 50 miles an hour, and the system dumps a lot of rain on us!)
My youngest daughter lives in Cornelius on Lake Norman. It is around exit 28 on I77. They really like it there, though the traffic can be a bear by North Carolina standards though it is minor compared to what I have experiences around San Jose in California.
You asked some questions about hurricanes. It is really hard to define hurricane risk. I suspect more people have died in the West Virginia mountains than in North Carolina in the last twenty years because of North Carolina hurricanes.
Mountain flooding can be very intense and come by surprise. Hurricanes today are pretty well advertised and North Carolinians are used to them.
We have a second home in Roanoke, Va in the mountains and we have seen some intense flooding there almost over night.
We actually had a tree hit our house after the winds from hurricane Floyd dislodged it from the saturated soil. We had nearly twenty inches of rain from hurricanes in Roanoke a summer or two ago from tropical storms that were leftovers from hurricanes. Roanoke is three hundred miles from the coasts.
So sometimes the rain from the hurricanes or tropical depressions can actually be more of a problem inland than it is right on the coast. The coast is flat and drains. Valleys tend to concentrate the water.
You might watch the weather in North Carolina this weekend for a good lesson in storms. The remnants of tropical storm Barry are wandering through NC this weekend. Though I haven't seen the weather since last night, the last forecasts were for up to four inches of rain in Raleigh (120 miles from the coast) and around two inches on the coast. The area west of Greensboro was predicted to have little rain, but that was last night and tropical depressions are unpredictable.
This tropical depression is actually very welcome in that it is bringing much needed rain to North Carolina and parts of Virginia. Winds are only expected to be 35 mph.
Aside from Wilmington we don't have any large cities on the coast and we certainly don't have any houses below sea level so that also helps when it comes to hurricanes.
Tornadoes are pretty rare when you get up in the mountains. Good luck finding a spot.
I think you will find North Carolina a pretty safe spot to live.
hi i live in california and looking to buy a waterfront lake.I would like to know if anyone could tell me best lake and close to airport, shopping,small cute fun town and good school..this is my private email,FORTALEZAGD@AOL.COM...Thanks, Gessica
In NC Norman would be your best choice. Most of the lakes in NC are used for drinking water and are man made, Like Lake Jordon ,lake Gaston and even Kerr. Lake Jordon does not allow homes on the lake and the land is protected from development to keep the water clean. Gaston is very rural and nothing really even close to it as far as a cities go ( henderson, Norlina), same with Kerr very depressed area except on the lake itself it has nice expensive homes. High rock lake is closer to civilazation as is Baden and allow homes on the water. But if your looking for stores and condos houses malls ect its gonna be Norman.
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I used to be more tough than this, but after motherhood, it's like my heart is running around outside my body with fast feet and freckles. I dont take uninformed chances anymore
so please take pity on my lack of knowledge and inform me of the real deal! Educate me please and if anyone wants Earthquake knowledge I'd be happy to share it, LOL.
