The Carolinas braced for a storm that forecasters warned could bring heavy rain — as much as 6 to 8 inches in some spots. But one narrow band got a “firehose” that dumped as much as 20 inches in a so-called 1,000-year flood that shocked many with its intensity. But the storm that left homes flooded, cars submerged and schools closed Tuesday across parts of North Carolina wasn’t really a surprise to scientists who have long said that such rainfalls are one marker of climate change. That’s because a warming atmosphere holds more moisture.… Continue Reading