Yes, Wasdhington is West...of North Carolina. But it is also North of NC. To me, anything North of the 45th parallel is...North.
That leaves a lot of US states out, so...I have to include anything down to the 42nd parallel, even if I don't want to.
BTW, I was born at the 46.5 parallel, in Maine, and now live at the 46.5 parallel in Washington, more than 3000 miles away from one another.