▁a ▁grad ual ▁increase ▁in ▁winter ▁ra inf all ▁with ▁increasing ▁latitude , ▁especially ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁App al ach ian ▁Mountains . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁ ▁The ▁S out heast ▁has ▁changed ▁dram atically ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁gener ations . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁bo om ▁in ▁its ▁service ▁economy , ▁manufact uring ▁base , ▁high ▁technology ▁indust ries , ▁and ▁the ▁financial ▁sector . ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁this ▁include ▁the ▁sur ge ▁in ▁tour ism ▁in ▁Florida ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Coast ; ▁numerous ▁new ▁autom obile ▁production ▁plants ▁such ▁as ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁in ▁T us cal o osa , ▁Alabama ; ▁Hy und ai ▁in ▁Mont gom ery , ▁Alabama ; ▁Toy ota ▁Mot ors ▁in ▁Blue ▁Spr ings , ▁Mississippi ; ▁K ia ▁in ▁West ▁Point , ▁Georgia ; ▁the ▁B MW ▁production ▁plant ▁in ▁Gre er , ▁South ▁Carolina ; ▁Volks wagen ▁in ▁Ch att ano oga , ▁Tennessee ; ▁the ▁G M ▁manufact uring ▁plant ▁in ▁Spring ▁Hill , ▁Tennessee ; ▁the ▁Volks wagen ▁manufact uring ▁plant ▁in ▁Pul ask i , ▁Virginia ; and ▁the ▁N iss an ▁North ▁American ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Franklin , ▁Tennessee ; ▁the ▁two ▁largest ▁research ▁par ks ▁in ▁the ▁country : ▁Research ▁Tri angle ▁Park ▁in ▁the ▁Tri angle ▁area ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁( the ▁world ' s ▁largest ) ▁and ▁the ▁C umm ings ▁Research ▁Park ▁in ▁Hun ts ville , ▁Alabama ▁( the ▁world ' s ▁fourth