Last Updated on March 27, 2025 6:27 pm
Hurricane Helene Local Statement Advisory Number 10National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC AL092024524 PM EDT Wed Sep 25 2024
This product covers the western Carolinas and NE Georgia
**HELENE TO BRING SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TOTHE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA**
NEW INFORMATION—————
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:– The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical StormWarning for Abbeville, Anderson, Avery, Buncombe, BurkeMountains, Caldwell Mountains, Central Greenville, Cherokee,Cleveland, Eastern McDowell, Eastern Polk, Elbert, Franklin,Graham, Greater Burke, Greater Caldwell, Greater Oconee,Greater Pickens, Greater Rutherford, Greenville Mountains,Greenwood, Habersham, Hart, Haywood, Henderson, Laurens, Macon,Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mitchell, Northern Jackson,Northern Spartanburg, Oconee Mountains, Pickens Mountains, PolkMountains, Rabun, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Greenville,Southern Jackson, Southern Spartanburg, Stephens, Swain,Transylvania, Union SC, and Yancey– A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for Catawba, Chester,Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Union NC, and York
* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:– A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Abbeville, Anderson,Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Caldwell Mountains, Catawba,Central Greenville, Cherokee, Chester, Cleveland, EasternMcDowell, Eastern Polk, Elbert, Franklin, Gaston, Graham,Greater Burke, Greater Caldwell, Greater Oconee, GreaterPickens, Greater Rutherford, Greenville Mountains, Greenwood,Habersham, Hart, Haywood, Henderson, Laurens, Lincoln, Macon,Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, NorthernJackson, Northern Spartanburg, Oconee Mountains, PickensMountains, Polk Mountains, Rabun, Rutherford Mountains,Southern Greenville, Southern Jackson, Southern Spartanburg,Stephens, Swain, Transylvania, Union NC, Union SC, Yancey, andYork
* STORM INFORMATION:– About 940 miles south-southwest of Charlotte NC or about 900miles south-southwest of Greenville/Spartanburg SC– 22.5N 86.6W– Storm Intensity 85 mph– Movement North or 355 degrees at 12 mph
SITUATION OVERVIEW——————
Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall over the FloridaPanhandle Thursday evening and race north into Georgia and the westernCarolinas. Significant flash flooding and mainstem flooding is likelyThursday into early Friday, especially along the Blue RidgeEscarpment. Wind gusts of 40-50 MPH will be associated with Helene as thestorm tracks just west of the County Warning Area Thursday night intoFriday morning. The combination of saturated soils and strong windgusts will result in numerous trees down, leading to numerous poweroutages. Numerous landslides may occur across the mountains, with acouple of large, damaging debris flows/slope failures. An isolatedtornado or two can't be ruled out during this event as well.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS—————–
* FLOODING RAIN:Protect against life-threatening rainfall flooding having possibledevastating impacts across the North Carolina mountains, northeastGeorgia, and Upstate South Carolina. Potential impacts include:– Extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations andrescues.– Rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their banksin many places with deep moving water. Small streams, creeks,canals, arroyos, and ditches may become raging rivers. Inmountain areas, deadly runoff may rage down valleys whileincreasing susceptibility to rockslides and mudslides. Floodcontrol systems and barriers may become stressed.– Flood waters can enter numerous structures within multiplecommunities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washedaway. Numerous places where flood waters may cover escaperoutes. Streets and parking lots become rivers of raging waterwith underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become verydangerous. Numerous road and bridge closures with some weakenedor washed out.
* WIND:Protect against hazardous wind having possible limited impacts across mostof the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia. Potential impactsinclude:– Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchoredmobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about.– Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped oruprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees areshallow rooted. Some fences and roadway signs blown over.– A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within urbanor heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving conditions onbridges and other elevated roadways.– Scattered power and communications outages.
* TORNADOES:Protect against a tornado event having possible limited impactsacross the western Carolinas and NE Georgia. Potential impactsinclude:– The occurrence of isolated tornadoes can hinder the executionof emergency plans during tropical events.– A few places may experience tornado damage, along with powerand communications disruptions.– Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneystoppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned,large tree tops and branches snapped off, shallow-rooted treesknocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and small boatspulled from moorings.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS———————————-
* EVACUATIONS:Follow the advice of local officials.
* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:Now is the time to complete all preparations to protect life andproperty in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in asafe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding.
It is important to remain calm, informed, and focused during anemergency. Be patient and helpful with those you encounter.
Rapidly rising flood waters are deadly. If you are in a flood-pronearea, consider moving to higher ground. Never drive through a floodedroadway. Remember, turn around don't drown!
If a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, be ready to shelterquickly, preferably away from windows and in an interior room notprone to flooding. If driving, scan the roadside for quick shelteroptions.
Closely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather radio or local news outletsfor official storm information. Be ready to adapt to possible changesto the forecast. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weatherwarnings.
* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:– For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov– For information on creating an emergency plan see getagameplan.org– For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org
NEXT UPDATE———–
The next local statement will be issued by the National WeatherService in Greenville-Spartanburg SC around 11 AM EDT, or sooner ifconditions warrant.
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