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    • Tropical Storm Helene hits western North Carolina
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    Tropical Storm Helene hits western North Carolina

    Idris Bevan Posted on

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    Western North Carolina has begun to feel the effects of Helene, which has since been downgraded to a tropical storm but is still causing severe flooding, power outages and more in its path – and the National Weather Service says as of Friday morning, September 27, that there is more to it.

    As of 7:06 a.m., Duke Energy had 1,240 active outages in Buncombe County, with a total of 71,138 customers without power. The NWS told Citizen Times what to expect next.

    More: Hurricane Helene Will Cause ‘500-Year Flood,’ WNC Officials Say; 15,000 houses affected

    Precipitation in western North Carolina

    Yesterday morning, September 26th, WNC had received up to 8 inches of rain in many areas from the “predecessor” rainfall event alone. This morning, maps in Asheville and surrounding areas, including Hendersonville, show an additional 4 to 8 inches of rain over the last 24 hours.

    NWS meteorologist Clay Chaney said another 2 to 4 inches is expected over WNC, with the worst occurring “probably in the next hour or two” starting around 7:30 a.m

    More: Hurricane Helene: Biden approves federal emergency declaration for North Carolina

    Wind speeds in Asheville

    As with many of Helene’s impacts in WNC, the worst winds are yet to come.

    “Right now they’re not that high, but they’re going up quickly,” Chaney said.

    NWS statements this morning forecast peak winds of 30-40 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph and up to 80 mph over higher ridges. Due to the combination of saturated ground and strong gusts of wind, there is still a risk that large areas of fallen trees will lead to numerous power outages. The NWS has recommended planning for “dangerous tropical storm force winds.”

    It is likely that numerous landslides with large, damaging debris flows or slope failures will occur in the mountains. Brief tornadoes were also considered possible, although mostly in the Piedmont area.

    Asheville weather tonight

    Chaney said the worst of the storm is yet to come — but it won’t last long as Helene’s rain sweeps across WNC.

    “It looks like it’s coming out of here around noon or something,” Chaney said.

    Tonight, the NWS forecasts only a slight chance of showers between midnight and 3 a.m., with only patchy fog forecast after 3 a.m. South-southeast winds are expected to blow around 10-13 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph and an overall chance of precipitation approximately 20%.

    Weather warnings in WNC

    Flood Warnings are active for:

    • French Broad River near Marshall, which influences Madison County.
    • French Broad River near Hot Springs, influencing Madison County.
    • French Broad River at Blantyre, which influences Transylvania and Henderson counties.
    • French Broad River near Asheville, which influences Buncombe County.
    • French Broad River near Fletcher, affecting Henderson and Buncombe counties.
    • Swannanoa River at Biltmore, which influences Buncombe County.

    Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for many residents living near overflowing rivers.

    Tropical Storm Warnings are active for much of WNC. Check your area’s NWS forecast page for details.

    Iris Seaton is the featured news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].

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    Idris Bevan
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