Updates: Effects of Tropical Storm Helene felt throughout NC

Updated 9/29 6:34 p.m.

According to the Associated Press, Buncombe County, which includes the mountain city of Asheville, is reporting 30 people killed due to the storm. This pushes the overall death toll to at least 84 people across several states.

Supplies were being airlifted to the region around Asheville. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder pledged that she would have food and water into the city — which is known for its arts, culture and natural attractions — by Monday.

“We hear you. We need food and we need water,” Pinder said on a Sunday call with reporters. “My staff has been making every request possible to the state for support and we’ve been working with every single organization that has reached out. What I promise you is that we are very close.”

Updated 9/29 3:44 p.m.

Eleven people in North Carolina have died so far due to the effects of Hurricane Helene. That’s according to Governor Roy Cooper. During a Sunday press conference, he said he expects that number to rise. 

Cooper said mass feeding sites have been opened in the western North Carolina area as supplies are being airlifted into Asheville. A 20-bed state medical support center opened on Sunday in Caldwell County. 

He added more than 100 people have been rescued so far by the North Carolina National Guard. 

Cooper urged residents to avoid travel in western North Carolina. 

"Please stay off western North Carolina roads so that emergency responders, utility crews and desperately needed supplies can get through," Cooper said. "We don’t need people visiting western North Carolina viewing the damage." 

During a press call hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday, a federal Department of Transportation official estimated there are about 300 secondary road closures in western North Carolina caused by Hurricane Helene. I-40 is closed in four areas and U.S. 64 remains closed as well. 

An official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Busick Raws in Yancey County recorded 37 inches of rainfall. Boone received 20 inches.

No more heavy rainfall is expected in North Carolina over the next few days, and is expected to stop entirely by Tuesday. 

Updated 9/29 12:24 p.m.

The town of Boone has shared a letter from Mayor Tim Futrelle and Watauga County Emergency Services recently sent out guidelines for citizens on protocol for debris removal. 

Updated 9/28 7:08 p.m.

Adverse Weather Condition 3 (Closure) in effect through 5pm Oct 4. Res halls, dining and campus medical facilities remain operational for on-campus students. If immediate danger, call 911. Students, faculty & staff needing shelter call 1-800-RED-CROSS https://t.co/sQ9fTLsUeA

— Appalachian State (@appstate) September 28, 2024

Updated 9/28 6:37 p.m.

Floodwaters pushed by remnants of Hurricane Helene have left North Carolina’s largest mountain city isolated by damaged roads and a lack of power and cellphone service. It was part of a swath of destruction across southern Appalachia that left an unknown number dead and worried relatives unable to reach loved ones. The storm spread misery across western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, where on Friday authorities used helicopters to rescue dozens of people from the rooftop of a flooded hospital. In North Carolina alone, more than 400 roads remained closed on Saturday as floodwaters began to recede and reveal the extent of damage.

Updated 9/28 11:51 a.m.

The town of Boone was hit hard by the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene which dumped more than a foot of rain across much of the western part of the state. Soil that was already saturated gave way to falling trees across the region causing power outages in Boone that impacted nearly 80 percent of its residents. And the massive flooding that ensued turned major roads into fast-flowing rivers. Saturday’s scheduled football game between App State and Liberty has been canceled due to the storm’s aftermath.
 
Boone Mayor Tim Futrelle says he’s thankful that there has been no loss of life there due to the storm, and he credits the close collaboration with local, state and national emergency officials for having saved lives. He says the water began receding late Friday afternoon enabling crews to better assess the extreme damage done by the storm.
 
“Highway 105, Highway 321, those are two of our main arteries that are flooded out, and we're experiencing a lot of congestion and debris there from trees falling and water damage, landslide runoff. For example, we've got a whole shopping center — our Walmart shopping center — that whole area there has flooded out, and Walmart will probably be recuperating for a little while there unfortunately. Downtown was also hit hard. [I] never thought I'd see a river running down King Street, but unfortunately, that is exactly what we saw yesterday in the early part of the day. And just thinking a lot about our small business owners and our folks that are the backbone of our community that help keep us thriving. We're going to need a lot of help to support them as well to recover and rebuild.”
 

Updated 9/28 10:25 a.m.

As of this morning, over 400 roads remain closed in NC. All roads in Western NC should be considered closed.

Remember: As crews work to clear and inspect roads and bridges, please give them room.

Go to https://t.co/AGDVnBcrXk for the latest road information. pic.twitter.com/0XkeU3HErA

— NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 28, 2024

Updated 9/27, 4:37 p.m.

A tree fell and knocked over a large awning at a gas station in downtown Winston-Salem this morning.

Winston-Salem police confirmed the incident occurred at the BP station at the corner of Broad and Fifth Streets. That’s a block from the Forsyth County Central Library. A delivery driver sustained a minor injury from being grazed by a tree limb during the incident.

A photo of the damage was widely circulated as people monitored the impact of Tropical Storm Helene.

 

Updated 9/27, 2:45 p.m.

Officials in Rutherford County are watching Lake Lure Dam because water overtopped the entire length of the dam.

There is some erosion on one side of the dam caused by the overtopping, state Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Kat Russell said Friday.

Town officials are monitoring the erosion, she said.

The lake, which flows into the Broad River, was created nearly 100 years ago. The dam is listed as 480 feet (146 meters) long and about 120 feet (36.6 meters) high.

The dam is “doing what it’s supposed to do, but the water levels are just too high,” Russell said.

Downstream communities have been made aware of the overtopping but have been told they would have several hours to alert residents to their own evacuations if needed, Russell said. 

In the High Country, major waterways in the area are at flood-stage level.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the South Fork of the New River near Jefferson is at 15 feet, which is near major flood level. The Yadkin River at Elkin is at 24 feet, which is flood level there.

Widespread flooding is reported throughout Boone and evacuations are taking place, police say.

The town is under a boil water advisory following a water main break that dropped the water pressure areawide, town officials say. Customers should boil water for any human use including drinking, making ice, washing dishes and food preparation.

In Buncombe County, roads were washed out preventing first responders from making it to some calls, Buncombe County Assistant Emergency Services Director Ryan Cole said.

That included a mudslide that involved four homes and left an undetermined number of people unaccounted for, Cole said.

“This is the most significant natural disaster that anyone of us has ever seen in western North Carolina,” Cole said.

Forecasters were comparing it to the benchmark flood of 1916 which killed 80 people, damaged dozens of miles of railroad tracks and isolated Asheville and other mountain cities for days.

Several rivers were above or near record crests and floodwaters were not expected to recede until at least Monday.

In Biltmore Village, just outside the famous Biltmore mansion, swiftly moving water from the overflowing Swannanoa River reached above the hoods of vehicles. It was a scene emergency officials expected in many other places as all the rain that fell has to flow downhill to the sea.

“It’s terrible. I don’t know if I will ever see anything like this again,” said Spencer Tate Andrews who came down to the area to see the flooding. “Glad I got to see it but at the same time its terrible and its going to affect a lot of people and businesses.”

Updated 9/27, 1:30 p.m.

Governor Roy Cooper says Hurricane Helene caused the deaths of two North Carolina residents earlier today. 

At a press conference this morning, the governor said one person died in a collision on a flooded roadway in Catawba County. Another was killed after a tree fell on a Charlotte home. 

Cooper said more than 100 swift-water rescues had occurred as Helene's rains caused massive flooding Friday, particularly in the state's western section. He said flash floods are threatening lives and are creating numerous landslides.

“The priority now is saving lives,” Cooper said, begging people to stay off the roads unless they were seeking higher ground. “With the rain that they already had been experiencing before Helene’s arrival, this is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of western North Carolina,” Cooper said.

The storm has now been blamed for at least 18 deaths in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday that at least 11 people in his state have been killed and dozens are still trapped in homes damaged by Helene.

Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed two deaths in Florida. One person was hit by a falling sign in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood and another was killed when a tree fell onto a home in Dixie County.

South Carolina officials confirmed that two people were killed when trees fell on their homes in Anderson County, South Carolina.

Updated 9/27, 1:05 p.m.

Appalachian State's home football game against Liberty in Boone scheduled for Saturday was canceled because of the impacts of severe weather on the area from Tropical Storm Helene, the school announced Friday.

Heavy rains in the North Carolina mountains brought flooding to Boone and the town was placed under a state of emergency Thursday.

The nonconference game was scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff and will not be rescheduled, the school said.

App State also canceled a home field hockey game against Bellarmine that was slated for Friday.

Updated 9/27, 1:03 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga, and Wilkes counties urging people in low-lying areas — including Appalachian State University — to seek higher ground.

The weather service describes the current situation as extremely dangerous and life-threatening. 

People should not travel unless moving to safer ground.

Watauga Emergency Services is urging residents to be patient as many roads are impassable and power is offline in most areas. They say 9-1-1 in Watauga County should only be used for imminent threat to life situations. Delays are expected.

According to U.S. Geological Survey data, the Yadkin River at Elkin is already at flood-stage level.

Updated 9/27, 1:02 p.m.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation says all roads in Western North Carolina are now closed.

🚨 All roads in Western NC should be considered closed 🚨

Do not travel unless an emergency or seeking higher ground
Do not drive through standing water
Respect barricades and road closures#TurnAroundDontDrown #Helene #ncwx pic.twitter.com/gjfrZJBPHm

— NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 27, 2024

 

Updated 9/27, 12:48 p.m.

In a briefing Friday morning, Gov. Roy Cooper told residents of Western North Carolina not to travel.

The state has four FEMA search and rescue teams with a request for more support submitted.

The National Guard has deployed more than 380 members to help with emergency management.

Teams from other states, including New York, Illinois, Indiana and Delaware, traveled to North Carolina to help with the effort.

Blue Ridge Public Radio asked the Governor about the challenges of 911 calls in Western North Carolina that are not receiving responses.

"We know the people in Western North Carolina, some of them are facing great danger from the flooding at this point, and emergency responders can sometimes be prohibited from going into places because of the danger themselves," Cooper said.

State Emergency Management Director Will Ray said there is degradation of cell service in Western North Carolina.

Some 911 centers are beginning to initiate fallback plans to allow unaffected centers to receive calls from impacted areas, he said.

-Copyright Blue Ridge Public Radio 2024

Updated 9/27, 12:42 p.m.

A landslide has been reported in Asheville, prompting road closures.

All lanes of I-40 at Old Fort Mountain east of Ridgecrest are closed due to a landslide

— Buncombe County Gov (@buncombeGov) September 27, 2024

Updated 9/27, 11:37 a.m.

High winds and heavy rains are battering the North Carolina mountains including the High Country.

David Long has lived in the Boone area for more than 60 years. He says the current conditions remind him of those from Hurricane Hugo 35 years ago — and are probably worse.

He says the creeks have already overflowed and the sustained winds are more than 20 miles per hour with gusts even higher.

 “It’s a combination of the torrential rain and the wind — it’s just a one-two punch that’s just really killing us,” says Long.

Long says the storm has created a community of hunkered-down folks taking care of one another for now.

The ground in the Blowing Rock area was already soaked due to previous rains even before the storm moved in, creating risks for falling trees. The National Weather Service is also warning mountain residents about the increased risk of landslides. Two people died in a mudslide during severe weather in Watauga County in 2018.

Updated 9/27, 10:01 a.m.

Power outages continue to sweep across western N.C. Currently just over 45% of Watauga County residents are without electricity. In Ashe County, 66% are without power, 54% in Caldwell County, and nearly 40% in Alleghany County. 

Updated 9/27, 8:15 a.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch until 6 p.m. Friday for Alamance, Davidson, Guilford and Forsyth counties. Other central N.C. counties under watch include Durham, Chatham and Orange counties.

Updated 9/27, 7:45 a.m.

The National Weather Service says Tropical Storm Helene is causing life-threatening flash flooding in North Carolina mountain counties. 

The storm made landfall Thursday night in northwest Florida as a category 4 hurricane. It then made its way up through Georgia as a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 miles per hour.

In North Carolina, more than 360,000 customers are without power, according to Ready NC. 

The National Weather Service says people in the mountains can expect rain reaching an inch or two per hour. Many areas have already received up to 10 inches. 

Significant life-threatening flooding is occurring, including homes and businesses. The weather service says the risk of dangerous landslides is increasing.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation warns that dangerous conditions exist on roadways, particularly west of Interstate 77. The agency urges drivers that have to be on the road to slow down and not drive through standing water or around barricades.

Updated 9/26, 9:15 p.m.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Raleigh held a press conference late Thursday afternoon. NWS says the main hazards and impacts for central North Carolina will be from flash flooding, downed trees and power outages. They estimate the worst of the weather will move through central N.C. between sunrise Friday through about 2-3 p.m. Friday.

The rain band that is expected to move across the state, particularly during the morning hours Friday, may produce several tornadoes. An isolated tornado can’t be ruled out Thursday evening, but the main tornado threat will still be Friday morning.

River flooding of moderate and higher potential should be mainly confined to main stem rivers west of the Yadkin River basin, with minor river flooding possible east of the Yadkin River basin.

According to Ready NC, Iredell County has just over 3,700 power outages and Guilford County has nearly 3,000.

Flood warnings are in effect for Alleghany and Wilkes counties until 8:45 p.m. Friday. 

Updated 9/26, 2:30 p.m.

Local school districts in the Piedmont and High Country are closing as Hurricane Helene moves through North Carolina.

Watauga County Schools announced plans to close Thursday and Friday due to flooding, road closures and additional predicted heavy rainfall. The district says the Friday closure will be made up later in the school year.

In the Triad, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Guilford County Schools both announced they would be closed on Friday too. WS/FCS officials say that all extracurricular activities will be canceled as well in order for staff to assess facility conditions.

Surry County and Davie County Schools opted to make Friday a remote learning day. Students should check online for assignments and other communications from their teachers.

State officials say Helene could create treacherous travel conditions and power outages in the mountains and much of the Piedmont.

Updated 9/26, 2:00 p.m.

While Hurricane Helene is expected to weaken as it moves inland after making landfall Thursday evening, forecasters say damaging winds are expected to extend to the southern Appalachian Mountains, where landslides are possible.

The National Weather Service posted lesser tropical storm warnings as far north as North Carolina and warned that much of the region could experience prolonged power outages and flooding.

Based on the anticipated heavy rainfall, flooding, and strong winds, as well as the projected course of the storm over the next several days, closures began yesterday afternoon of large sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. They extend from milepost 217 to 469.

State officials are encouraging people to postpone unnecessary travel during the storm. You’ll find real-time road conditions at DriveNC.gov.

Updated 9/26, 9:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service is warning of significant impacts of Hurricane Helene on North Carolina mountain counties.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall over the Florida panhandle Thursday night then make its way north through Georgia and western North Carolina.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for most of the mountain counties as far northeast as Yancey and Avery. The weather service says potentially catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding is expected later today and into Friday.

Wind gusts could reach more than 50 miles per hour, and combined with saturated soils will likely lead to numerous downed trees. As a result, power outages are possible. Weather conditions may also lead to brief isolated tornadoes.

A flood watch is already in effect and extends to Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga and Wilkes counties.