Today marks the beginning of what’s predicted to be a busy hurricane season. Scott Sharp, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Raleigh, says it’s likely North Carolina will see another Hurricane Matthew-sized storm this year.
“Those two ingredients – a little less wind shear aloft and abundant warm water - will indicate that we will have a little bit more active season than we would normally have," says Sharp.
As the state looks ahead to a new hurricane season, some towns are still recovering from Hurricane Matthew. The non-profit Rural Center recently launched the North Carolina Small Business Recovery Fund with money from the Golden Leaf Foundation. It offers loans to those affected by the aftermath of the hurricane and other natural disasters. The center hopes to provide small businesses with funding to repair physical and economic damage, as well as prepare for future natural disasters.