Carolina Weather Group

It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene devastated the Carolinas — from catastrophic flooding in Asheville and the French Broad River Valley to the ongoing recovery in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. In this special Carolina Weather Group podcast, James Brierton talks with WCNC's Brad Panovich and WFMY's Tim Buckley, as they reflect on the storm’s impacts, the lessons still being learned, and the striking parallels to past events like Hurricane Ivan (2004) and the 1916 flood.This special presentation originally aired as "Live Weather Impact," which streams weeknights at 6:30 p.m. on WCNC+ and WFMY+. Stream for free on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple and more.In this episode, we take you to Lake Lure where recovery continues, explore how back-to-back storms magnify impacts, and discuss why inland flooding remains the Carolinas’ most dangerous hurricane threat. Plus, we break down this week’s growing drought concerns, what it means for fall wildfire season, and why history matters when preparing for fu