Hurricane Hunters make stop in NC ahead of 2017 hurricane season

RALEIGH, N.C. — Hurricane hunters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration flew into Raleigh Wednesday to prepare us for hurricane season and to show the biggest dangers from tropical systems in the Carolinas.

"We need to be ready to weather the next storm," said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

It has been 7 months since Hurricane Matthew pummeled North Carolina causing nearly $5 million in damage.

"Hurricane devastation is long-term recovery,” Cooper said.

Matthew is a reminder that powerful wind is not the only threat from hurricanes.

Floods can be far more dangerous.

"A lot of people around the country and around the world can learn a lot from what happened here and realize just how heavy and damaging and deadly water can be," National Hurricane Director Rick Knabb said.

C-130s fly into the eye of the hurricane and release a dropsonde to get information on the intensity of the tropical system.

"We basically determine where these storms are going to go," hurricane hunter Lt. Dave Cowan said.

Meteorologists are forecasting fewer storms than usual this hurricane season, but it only takes one to make a big impact.

The Atlantic hurricane season goes from June 1 to Nov. 30 but a tropical system can happen any time of year.

Fed relief funds lacking for Hurricane Matthew damage

Eight months after Hurricane Matthew many North Carolina families still haven't been able to return home.

The federal government is offering money to help but there’s a catch.

It's less than 1 percent of what the state wanted.

They said they are offering $6 million for recovery.

Gov. Roy Cooper said Hurricane Matthew caused $4.8 billion in damage to half of the state.

“I am deeply disappointed that Washington isn’t making North Carolina’s urgent need a top priority,” Cooper said.

In a letter to Congress, Cooper asked for $900 million to help repair homes businesses and flood damage.

The governor said some of those unmet needs included more than $245 million for housing repairs, $92 million to help farmers recover their losses and $43 million to repair public facilities.

Cox Media Group