<P> In 1996, Hurricane Fran made landfall in North Carolina . As a category 3 hurricane, Fran caused a great deal of damage, mainly through winds . Fran's maximum sustained wind speeds were 115 miles per hour (185 km / h), while North Carolina's coast saw surges of 8 feet (2.4 m) to 12 feet (3.7 m) above sea level . The amount of damage caused by Fran ranged from $1.275 to $2 billion in North Carolina . </P> <P> Heavy rains accompany tropical cyclones and their remnants which move northeast from the Gulf of Mexico coastline, as well as inland from the western subtropical Atlantic ocean . Over the past 30 years, the wettest tropical cyclone to strike the coastal plain was Hurricane Floyd of September 1999, which dropped over 24 inches (610 mm) of rainfall north of Southport . Unlike Hazel and Fran, the main force of destruction was from precipitation . Before Hurricane Floyd reached North Carolina, the state had already received large amounts of rain from Hurricane Dennis less than two weeks before Floyd . This saturated much of the Eastern North Carolina soil and allowed heavy rains from Hurricane Floyd to turn into floods . Over 35 people died from Floyd . In the mountains, Hurricane Frances of September 2004 was nearly as wet, bringing over 23 inches (580 mm) of rainfall to Mount Mitchell . </P> <P> In most years, the greatest weather - related economic loss incurred in North Carolina is due to severe weather spawned by summer thunderstorms . These storms affect limited areas, with their hail and wind accounting for an average annual loss of over US $5 million . </P> <P> North Carolina averages 31 tornadoes a year with May seeing the most tornadoes on average a month with 5 . June, July and August all have an average of 3 tornadoes with an increase to 4 average tornadoes a month in September . It is through September and into early November when North Carolina can typically expect to see that smaller, secondary, severe weather season . While severe weather season is technically from March through May, tornadoes have touched down in North Carolina in every month of the year . (1). On November 28, 1988, an early morning F4 tornado smashed across northwestern Raleigh, continuing 84 miles further, killing 4 and injuring 157 (http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19881128/). </P>

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