Служба погоды открыла памятный столб приливной волны в честь 30-летия урагана Фран

NWS marks 30 years since Hurricane Fran with new storm surge tool WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - It is a day many southeastern North Carolina residents will never forget: the day Hurricane Fran made landfall on the coast nearly 30 years ago. Fran came ashore on Sept. 5, 1996, with 100+ miles-per-hour winds and caused five billion dollars in damage. It remains the last Category 3 hurricane to hit the area and was responsible for over a dozen local deaths. Nearly three decades later, the National Weather Service (NWS) is reflecting on the tragedy and hoping to educate people. You would never know by looking at it now, but Wrightsville Beach was one of many coastal towns devastated by the storm. NWS meteorologists say forecasting looks a little different since 1996. Changes include helping the public understand the danger of storm surges. To demonstrate this threat, NWS officials debuted a newly built, nine-foot-tall “storm surge pole” at Wrightsville Beach on Tuesday to provide a visual representation of rising waters. “It’s important to bring this out where we did see significant flooding during Hurricane Fran. We’re standing in a location now where we saw a storm surge from 3 to 4 to 5 feet,” said Brandon Locklear, a warning coordination meteorologist. While three to five feet of water above ground level may not sound like a lot, meteorologists stress that the reality is incredibly dangerous. “The danger is not like a bathtub with the water slowly rising. You’re getting a powerful movement of water that’s life-threatening,” said Bob Bright, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington. “We’re actually trying to tell people what the water levels could be, how high the ocean water could get above ground level so folks can more easily comprehend how much water that really is.” With hurricane season currently at its peak, officials warn that storm surges are a concern for residents both on the oceanfront and inland, and stress the importance of preparation. Even though it’s been quiet in the tropics for us, it only takes one storm to change everything. NWS is hosting a free webinar for anyone to attend on Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. with meteorologists from around the state to discuss Hurricane Fran and how things have changed in the last 30 years. If you’re interested, you can register by clicking here. Copyright 2026 WECT. All rights reserved.