(WLOS) — (11 a.m.) – Governor Roy Cooper briefs the press on preparations for Helene.

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(10 a.m.) – Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder and Buncombe County EMS Director Taylor Jones provide an update on Hurricane Helene preparations, precautions and the current state of emergency.

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Flooding and power outages are reported around the mountains Wednesday evening and Thursday morning due to persistent rainfall and downpours.

Since Thursday morning NCDOT According to information, there are more than 30 weather-related road closures around the mountains. News 13 crews reported water backup on portions of Interstate 26 early Thursday morning.

Bystander video from Biltmore Village in Asheville showed cars driving through floodwaters, with one sedan nearly submerged.

BUNCOMBE, HAYWOOD AND OTHER BERGSCOUNTIES DECLARATE STATES OF EMERGENCY

A photo from Spruce Pine showed flooding at a cabin on Gem Mountain. A video showed water rushing under a nearby road.

Emergency crews in Rutherford County sent out an alert around 11:38 p.m. Wednesday warning that Lake Lure’s tainter gates were operating above 6 feet and warned residents below the dam in low-lying areas to Stay alert for rising water.

McDowell County Emergency Management ordered a mandatory evacuation of the River Breeze Campground in Marion due to flash flooding. An emergency shelter was open at Glenwood Baptist Church, 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Road.

INTERACTIVE RADAR

From Thursday, 8 a.m., Duke Energy reportsThousands of customers are without power, including more than 4,500 in Henderson County, more than 2,000 in Buncombe County, 1,900 in McDowell and 1,800 in Macon.

HELENE IS CALLED A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE AS IT MOVES TOWARD FLORIDA

Many School districts And public officesover the mountainshave closedThursday due to the risk of flooding and wind. The state of emergency was declared locally and at the state level.

Heavy and widespread rainfall will continue on Thursday ahead of Helene’s arrival in the mountains. There will be heavy rain again on Thursday night and Friday morning.

NEWS 13 WEATHER

Helene will rapidly strengthen as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico toward landfall in the Florida Panhandle later Thursday. The current track brings the storm toward WNC, with potential impacts of wind and heavy rain continuing from Thursday night into Friday morning.

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