Editing Wilkes County, North Carolina (section)

===Climate===
Due to its wide range of elevation, Wilkes County's climate varies considerably. In winter, it is not unusual for it to be sunny with the temperature in the forties in the county's eastern section, while at the same time it is snowing or sleeting with the temperature below freezing in the county's mountainous north, west, and south. Generally speaking, Wilkes receives ample amounts of precipitation, with frequent [[thunderstorms]] in the spring and summer months; and rain, snow, [[Rain and snow mixed|sleet]], and [[freezing rain]] all occur at times during the winter, with the frequency increasing with the altitude. Wilkesboro, the [[county seat]], receives an average of 50 inches of rain per year and an average of 10 inches of snow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Weather averages Wilkesboro, North Carolina |url=https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/wilkesboro/north-carolina/united-states/usnc1137 |access-date=March 11, 2023 |website=www.usclimatedata.com |language=en}}</ref> Severe weather is not common in Wilkes but does occur. Tornadoes are rare, but severe thunderstorms can bring strong winds which can down trees and power lines, as well as cause [[hail]]. On October 23, 2017, a rare [[EF 1]] tornado touched down in the community of Moravian Falls, before moving into the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro, and then through the Mulberry, Fairplains, and Hays communities, causing significant damage.<ref>{{cite news |title=NWS confirms that tornado hit parts of Wilkes Monday evening |url=https://www.journalpatriot.com/news/nws-confirms-that-tornado-hit-parts-of-wilkes-monday-evening/article_7a7e9a32-b938-11e7-a5a1-7301c64da0e3.html |access-date=April 24, 2020 |work=The Wilkes Journal-Patriot |date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> Wilkes County is far enough inland that [[hurricanes]] rarely cause problems, but a strong hurricane which moves inland quickly enough may cause damage, as with [[Hurricane Hugo]] in 1989 and [[Hurricane Helene]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sowers |first=Serra |date=2024-09-30 |title=Wilkes Co. Helene clean up efforts bring community together |url=https://www.wxii12.com/article/wilkes-co-north-carolina-small-businesses-clean-up-hurricane-helene-mess/62454268 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=WXII |language=en}}</ref> Due to the numerous creeks and streams which run through its valleys, Wilkes is especially prone to devastating [[flash floods]]. The two most memorable floods occurred in 1916 and 1940, killing a number of residents and causing millions of dollars in damages. After the opening of the W. Kerr Scott Dam in 1962, the Yadkin River did not flood again in Wilkes County until heavy rainfalls from Hurricane Helene led to flooding in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tropical Storm Helene reaches North Carolina, Yadkin River overflows |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/videos/news/2024/09/27/tropical-storm-helene-overflows-yadkin-river-in-north-carolina/75414960007/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=The Asheville Citizen Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Although Wilkes County has never had a severe earthquake, a [[Fault (geology)|fault]] runs through the [[Brushy Mountains (North Carolina)|Brushy Mountains]], and mild earth [[Earthquake|tremors]] are not uncommon. On August 31, 1861, an earthquake estimated at 5.0 on the [[Richter magnitude scale]] hit the southern part of the county and caused minor damage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wncvitalityindex.org/geology/faults-and-earthquakes|title=Faults and Earthquakes {{!}} Western North Carolina Vitality Index|website=www.wncvitalityindex.org|language=en|access-date=March 17, 2018}}</ref>