Western NC saw several inches of rain when Tropical Storm Helene barreled through. But what caused it to rain so much? What some scientists think.

Asked what was the greatest challenge officials faced in getting water back to customers, a water department spokesman said, "basically everything."

In the initial days that Helene impacted western North Carolina, many people were stuck without the ability to refrigerate their insulin or charge their oxygen tanks, or were unable to hike out or wield chainsaws as others did to free themselves from their homes.