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Atlantic: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia

is 83ºF (28ºC) in July and 46ºF (8ºC) in January. The coast receives about 45 inches (114 cm) of rain each year. The mountains receive about 50 inches (127 cm) of mixed rain and snow. Severe weather is common in North Carolina. An average of 31 tor- nadoes rip through the state each year, usually in the spring. Tropical storms and hurricanes often bring heavy wind and rain to the coast several times each year, and intense thunderstorms are common across the state in summer. History Before the arrival of Europeans, about thirty Native American tribes lived in what is now North Carolina. Among the most important were the Cherokee in the western mountains, the Catawaba, on the border with South Carolina, the Tuscarora, the largest band in the eastern part of the state, and the Croatans, a small coastal tribe. Explorers working for France and Spain visited North Carolina between 1524 and 1539, but did not stay. The English, however, were interested in

settling the area. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh sent two ships to what is now North Carolina. The sailors claimed the land for England, spent several months exploring, met friendly Native Americans, and returned home. The This statue of the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh is located in North Carolina’s capital city. Raleigh was an important figure in the English exploration and colonization of North America during the late 16th century.