Hurricane Awareness: Lessons from Fran

It has been a while since the Triangle felt the direct impacts of a major hurricane. It can happen though, just ask anyone that lived in Raleigh in 1996.....

Hurricane Fran struck the North Carolina coast on September 5, 1996 as a category 3 storm. Fran had sustained winds of 115mph and gusts to 125mph when it hit the coast. The hurricane didn't just cause damage for coastal residents. It still had hurricane force winds when it tracked over the Triangle. A wind gust of 78mph was recorded at the Raleigh-Durham Airport. According to information from the National Weather Service, Fran caused $2.3 billion in damage to homes and businesses. Just in Wake County $900 million in damage was reported to homes and businesses.

Fortunately, a storm like Fran does not happen all that often in North Carolina. However, every hurricane season we must be prepared. Stay tuned to News 14 Carolina this Hurricane Preparedness Week for more information on how you and your family can prepare for the upcoming season. The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1.

For more information on Hurricane Fran and its impacts in North Carolina, click to http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19960906/