According to Weather.com, with regard to dangerous weather, Asheville is one of the safest places to live in the U.S., and one of the two safest places to live in the south (the other is Lexington, Ky.).
From the article, America’s Safest Weather Cities:
Asheville, N.C., however, is an oasis in this otherwise dangerous southern weather mix.
Like most southern locations, thunderstorms are quite common (40-50 days a year). Despite this, tornadoes are somewhat rare in this part of North Carolina.
Perhaps the greatest weather danger, relatively speaking, in Asheville is from remnant tropical cyclones. Nine such tropical cyclones have passed within 75 miles of Asheville since 1950.
The remnants of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan in 2004 lead to heavy flooding in Asheville in September 2004. Biltmore Village was hardest hit. Another remnant of a tropical cyclone triggered severe flooding along the French Broad River in July 1916.
Yes, given this elevation, there is snow and ice to worry about each winter, but only on the order of 12″ of snow each season.
Read the full article here.
Asheville mention here.
Thanks to loyal reader Rick Fornoff for the heads-up!