Hurricane Helene hits Western North Carolina
Residents and businesses across Western North Carolina prepared ahead of Hurricane Helene's arrival. Here's a look at a several sandbags in the back of a truck at BearWaters Brewing in Canton.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
Editor's note: Western North Carolina residents have been alerted that Hurricane Helene may produce deadly flash flooding and dangerous winds across the region ahead of its arrival overnight between Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27. However as of the morning of Sept. 26, much of the region is already dealing with heavy rains, downed trees, sporadic tornadoes and some flooding due to a separate system that entered the region from the west. Smoky Mountain News Staff will be out gathering photos and firsthand reports throughout Friday and beyond. This page will be updated with those pictures and stories as they come in from across our coverage area, but you can always find more on our Facebook, Instagram and X accounts.
4:07 p.m., Sept. 26 — Hannah McLeod
At 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, Macon County declared a state of emergency due to heavy rainfall and gusty winds from Hurricane Helene. At this point, Haywood, Jackson and Macon counties have all declared a state of emergency.
Macon County Emergency Services released a statement saying that rain is expected to continue into the night and early tomorrow morning and “streams could rise rapidly. Windy conditions may also cause trees to fall in some locations due to saturated soil conditions.”
Residents are being asked to decrease speed while driving, not to drive through flooded roadways and to be prepared for isolated power outages.
“If you live in flood prone areas, be prepared for flooding events,” Macon County Emergency Services said in the statement. “Call 9-1-1 for emergencies but do not call 9-1-1 for road conditions or power outages. Report power outages to your utility provider.”
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Just before 1 p.m. Macon County 911 announced that NC 106 would be closed until further notice near the Blue Valley Overlook in Scaly Mountain due to erosion of the road bank.
3:50 p.m., Sept. 26
FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of North Carolina to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Helene beginning Sept. 24 and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
Federal funding is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures including direct federal assistance for Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
11:45 a.m., Sept. 26 — Kyle Perrotti
The National Park Service continues to prepare for the expected high wind and heavy rain from Hurricane Helene Thursday night into Friday. Visitors should consider rescheduling this week’s travel plans for their own safety and to reduce the risk on emergency services.
The park is implementing the following closures:
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Newfound Gap Road/US Highway 441 will close today at 2 p.m.
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Sugarlands, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove visitor centers will close today at 3 p.m. through at least Saturday morning, weather and road conditions permitting.
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In North Carolina, Cataloochee Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road), Balsam Mountain Campground and Cataloochee Campground are closed.
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In Tennessee, Rich Mountain Road, Greenbrier Road, Upper Tremont Road and Sparks Lane are closed.
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Parson Branch Road remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts.
Additional updates will be shared on the park website as available.
Risks of flooding, high winds, downed trees, landslides and power outages are highest Thursday night into Friday. Peak winds are predicted early-morning Friday. Sustained winds of up to 40 mph are likely with gusts as high as 80 mph. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the North Carolina-side of the park for tonight into Friday. A high-wind warning was issued for the Tennessee-side of the park beginning Thursday at 8 p.m. through Friday at 8 p.m.
Some park locations have already received 4-5 inches of rainfall since Wednesday ahead of the tropical storm event. Through Friday, another 4-5 inches is predicted on the Tennessee-side and 6-9 inches on the North Carolina-side of the park. A flood watch is expanded to all of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
Sept. 28 events including Mountain Life Festival, Balsam Mountain Volunteer Day and Smokies Service Day are canceled. Backcountry travel is discouraged, and park staff are in communication with permit holders. Additional closures are possible. Please check current conditions before visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Entirety of Parkway closed in North Carolina - MP 217 at the NC state line to MP 469 in Cherokee, NC.
As a result, the following facilities are also closed:
Doughton Park Campground and Picnic Area at milepost 239 & 241 and Price Park Campground and Picnic Area at milepost 296.9. Reservation holders will be notified.
Doughton Park Visitor Center at milepost 241.1, Moses Cone Manor House at milepost 294, the Minerals Museum at milepost 330.9, and the Asheville Visitor Center at milepost 384
Additional updates are as follows:
The Pisgah Inn at milepost 408.6 is only accessible via Hwy 276.
The Folk Art Center at milepost 382 is accessible via US-70.
These severe weather closures are full closures to all public use. Closures are expected to remain in place until the storm passes, and staff can safely assess the park and clear any storm damage. The park will issue updates when they are available.
8 a.m., Sept. 26 — Hannah McLeod
Jackson County Emergency Management announced Thursday morning, Sept. 26 that inclement weather has caused several trees to fall in the roadway, and multiple vehicle accidents have been reported across the county.
“We encourage you to stay home unless it is necessary travel,” Jackson Emergency Management said in a statement. “If you must travel, please use extreme caution there is heavy rain causing flash flooding in many roadways.”
On Sept. 25, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a state of emergency ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helene. According to a press release from Cooper’s office, Helene is forecast to cause significant impacts including flash flooding, numerous landslides, damaging debris flows, slope failures across steep terrain, and riverine flooding across portions of Western and Central North Carolina.
The same day, Jackson County Emergency Management asked residents to be prepared for the incident by having a bag ready to go in the event they need to leave their home.
“A 72-hour bag should include essential items like; medications, canned foods, batteries, flashlights, and important documents,” the statement said. “Make sure to stay away from windows during strong winds and don’t drive through flood waters.”
Shortly after 1 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, emergency services in the county announced they were already beginning to see power outages across Jackson County. Duke Energy has been notified and crews have spread out across the region to attempt power restoration as soon as possible.
As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, Jackson County has declared a state of emergency due to the threat of heavy rains and flash flooding.
The following restrictions and prohibitions are imposed:
No person except those involved in emergency operations activities will be allowed to traverse flooded public roadways. Recreational use of flooded waterways is prohibited.
The Emergency Management Coordinator, when necessary, may move people in public places, direct and compel the voluntary or mandatory evacuation of all or part of the population from any stricken or threatened area, prescribe routes, modes of transportation and destinations in connection with evacuation and control the ingress and egress of an emergency area, as well as the movements of people within the area.
The declaration will remain in effect until modified or rescinded.
