World's largest climate archive looks at past data to prepare for the future
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Tune in to News 13’s “Preparing for Hurricane Season” special on Wednesday, June 4, at 5:30 p.m.
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As hurricane season begins, most eyes turn to the coast. But in the mountains of western North Carolina, quiet preparation is underway by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the world’s largest archive of weather and climate data, headquartered in Asheville.
From modern satellite feeds, to weather logs dating back to the founding fathers, NCEI informs how emergency managers, researchers, and forecasters prepare for the season ahead. It also houses the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, a partnership between NOAA and North Carolina State University.
“All of the world’s weather and climate data is housed right here,” said Carl Schreck, a senior research scholar with the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies. He studies large-scale tropical meteorology, including El Niño, La Niña, and how they shape hurricane seasons in the Atlantic.
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Much like NCEI uses the past to guide the future, Helene is now a key case study in understanding how tropical systems impact inland regions.
Even knowing the forecast, Schreck said the real-world consequences were more extreme than expected.
“Never crossed my mind that we were going to lose cell service,” Schreck said. “Or be without water.”
Helene retained strength inland and followed a previous system of soaking rain, known as a compound hazard. “If it had just been the rain before, or just the rain from Helene, or just the wind, we might have been OK,” Schreck said. Historic floods in 1916 and 2004 also came from multiple storms.
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Helene was labeled a 1-in-1,000-year event.
“We know that as the climate is warming, there’s more water vapor in the atmosphere,” Schreck said. “The heaviest rainfall events have been getting heavier and more frequent.”
New models are being built to reflect these recent changes. Using this updated data will allow for researchers, dam engineers, city planners, and the public to better prepare for weather events ahead.
Looking forward, Schreck noted wildfire risks as an issue this coming season. “That threat is going to be with us for months or even years to come,” Schreck warned. Many of the downed trees, especially hardwoods, could become wildfire fuel by fall.
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“In the last 10 or 20 years about half the people who die from hurricanes actually die from inland flooding,” Schreck said. “We always say, ‘Hide from the wind and run from the water.’”
His advice: don’t wait. “Be prepared, to know in advance. The earlier you start preparing, the better off you’re going to be.”
As the 2025 hurricane season approaches, NCEI’s work remains essential: turning past storms into future protection, powered by data from right here in Asheville. That data is available at ncei.noaa.gov.