Warmer planet creating supercharged storms that ravage NC communities, climatologist says

An updated forecast calling for a highly active hurricane season could take greater toll on people already dealing with heartbreak and anxiety.

NOAA issued another warning in August that a highly active hurricane season will likely continue in the Atlantic Ocean. The federal agency said the cocktail of near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Nina are kicking things into high gear. NOAA expects there may be up to seven major hurricanes this season

According to Climatologists, the heating of Earth is allowing storms to hold more moisture and eventually dump all that excess water on communities when they come ashore.

Outside Camille Barley's Fayetteville home you'll see bags of insulation, doors, kitchen cabinetry and framing on the curb.

The first floor of her home was damaged by Tropical Storm Debby.

She's contemplating whether to abandon the place all together. Barley said storms have flooded her home four times.

"I am just desperate to get rid of that house and find a place where I don't have to live in fear," Barley said.

The first flood was Hurricane Matthew. Barley moved in seven days before it hit.

That was considered a 500-year storm, meaning a storm that devastating would only happen once every 500 years

However, just two years after Matthew, there was another 500-year storm: Florence.

Barley's home flooded again.

"I constantly worry. I can't express how exhausted I am from the constant flooding," she said.

Her street is a known trouble spot. New homes being built there now are being built on stilts -- this is a place located more than a 100 miles inland.

Kathie Dello is North Carolina's State Climatologist. She said climate change is intensifying storms.

"They're happening back-to-back, multiple times a year. The amount of rain that's falling in these storms is unlike we've ever seen in our past," said Dello. "We can start to think about our storms becoming supercharged or that much wetter. A storm that maybe 30 years ago would have caused minimal rainfall and minimal damage is actually causing pretty extensive damage and flooding now."

Some municipalities have increased their respective budgets to better deal with these powerful storms.

Fayetteville said it's now spending an extra $100,000 a year after learning a hard lesson with Matthew.

First responders ran out boats to rescue people from the rising waters.

"We weren't prepared for what we received," said Fayetteville Fire Chief Kevin Dove. "Matthew and Florence obviously were two different beasts, and they really exposed our vulnerabilities as a city."

Since then, investments have been made for more equipment and technology.

The Swift Water Rescue Training Facility opened last year. It's the only indoor facility of its kind on the East Coast and it serves several communities.

"Boundary lines kind of go out the window when storms like this come in," said Dove.

Barley's home sits along the intersection of two creeks.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index , it shows "relatively high risk" for river flooding, but the area has not be deemed a FEMA Flood Plain.

Barley worries what mother nature will bring with the rest of this hurricane season and those in the future.

"I can't tell you how many tears I've cried in that house. I'm just tired of it," she said.

ABC11 did reach out to FEMA to see if the area had been surveyed or could be in the future. FEMA did not answer that question.

Dello said there has been some discussion of possibly adding a Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson scale. There have been no changes to the scale at this time.