➀ The devastation in western North Carolina is due to a combination of climate change factors and terrain; ➁ Mountains can block weather systems and increase flood risk, and climate change is exacerbating storms; ➂ Asheville and surrounding areas experienced heavy rain before Hurricane Helene, leading to extreme flash flooding; ➃ Experts say this type of far-reaching impact will become more common; ➄ Helene brought over 2 feet of rain to parts of southern Appalachia, causing widespread damage; ➅ Climate change is making storms more intense and heavy, increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding; ➆ The event was one of the worst weather events in the area's history, with levels of flooding not expected for 1,000 years.