186  
WTUS82 KGSP 260913  
HLSGSP  
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510-SCZ008>014-019-101>109-261715-  
 
HURRICANE HELENE LOCAL STATEMENT ADVISORY NUMBER 12  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC AL092024  
513 AM EDT THU SEP 26 2024  
 
THIS PRODUCT COVERS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GEORGIA  
 
**HELENE TO BRING SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO  
THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA**  
 
NEW INFORMATION  
---------------  
 
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:  
- NONE  
 
* 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, EASTERN  
MCDOWELL, EASTERN POLK, ELBERT, FRANKLIN, GASTON, GRAHAM,  
GREATER BURKE, GREATER CALDWELL, GREATER OCONEE, GREATER  
PICKENS, GREATER RUTHERFORD, GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS, GREENWOOD,  
HABERSHAM, HART, HAYWOOD, HENDERSON, LAURENS, LINCOLN, MACON,  
MADISON, MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS, MECKLENBURG, MITCHELL, NORTHERN  
JACKSON, NORTHERN SPARTANBURG, OCONEE MOUNTAINS, PICKENS  
MOUNTAINS, POLK MOUNTAINS, RABUN, RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS,  
SOUTHERN GREENVILLE, SOUTHERN JACKSON, SOUTHERN SPARTANBURG,  
STEPHENS, SWAIN, TRANSYLVANIA, UNION NC, UNION SC, YANCEY, AND  
YORK  
 
* STORM INFORMATION:  
- ABOUT 830 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CHARLOTTE NC OR ABOUT 780  
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG SC  
- 24.2N 86.2W  
- STORM INTENSITY 90 MPH  
- MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHEAST OR 15 DEGREES AT 12 MPH  
 
SITUATION OVERVIEW  
------------------  
 
HURRICANE HELENE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL OVER THE FLORIDA  
PANHANDLE THIS EVENING AND MOVE QUICKLY NORTH THROUGH GEORGIA.  
SIGNIFICANT, POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC FLASH FLOODING AND MAJOR  
MAINSTEM RIVER FLOODING IS EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE WESTERN  
CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA LATER TODAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY,  
ESPECIALLY ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH  
WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH HELENE AS THE CENTER OF THE STORM TRACKS JUST  
WEST OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE  
COMBINATION OF SATURATED SOILS AND STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL RESULT IN  
NUMEROUS DOWNED TREES, LEADING TO NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES. NUMEROUS  
LANDSLIDES MAY OCCUR ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS, WITH LARGE, DAMAGING DEBRIS  
FLOWS OR SLOPE FAILURES POSSIBLE. BRIEF ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO  
POSSIBLE.  
 
POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
-----------------  
 
* FLOODING RAIN:  
PROTECT AGAINST LIFE-THREATENING RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE  
DEVASTATING IMPACTS ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS, NORTHEAST  
GEORGIA, AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:  
- EXTREME RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT NUMEROUS EVACUATIONS AND  
RESCUES.  
- RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY OVERWHELMINGLY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS  
IN MANY PLACES WITH DEEP MOVING WATER. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS,  
CANALS, ARROYOS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME RAGING RIVERS. IN  
MOUNTAIN AREAS, DEADLY RUNOFF MAY RAGE DOWN VALLEYS WHILE  
INCREASING SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ROCKSLIDES AND MUDSLIDES. FLOOD  
CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS MAY BECOME STRESSED.  
- FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER NUMEROUS STRUCTURES WITHIN MULTIPLE  
COMMUNITIES, SOME STRUCTURES BECOMING UNINHABITABLE OR WASHED  
AWAY. NUMEROUS PLACES WHERE FLOOD WATERS MAY COVER ESCAPE  
ROUTES. STREETS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME RIVERS OF RAGING WATER  
WITH UNDERPASSES SUBMERGED. DRIVING CONDITIONS BECOME VERY  
DANGEROUS. NUMEROUS ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES WITH SOME WEAKENED  
OR WASHED OUT.  
 
* WIND:  
PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS  
MOST OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
INCLUDE:  
- DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, SHEDS, AND UNANCHORED  
MOBILE HOMES. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN ABOUT.  
- MANY LARGE TREE LIMBS BROKEN OFF. A FEW TREES SNAPPED OR  
UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE  
SHALLOW ROOTED. SOME FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.  
- A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM DEBRIS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN URBAN  
OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON  
BRIDGES AND OTHER ELEVATED ROADWAYS.  
- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.  
 
* TORNADOES:  
PROTECT AGAINST A TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS  
ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
INCLUDE:  
- THE OCCURRENCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOES CAN HINDER THE EXECUTION  
OF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS.  
- A FEW PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE, ALONG WITH POWER  
AND COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTIONS.  
- LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOFS PEELED OFF BUILDINGS, CHIMNEYS  
TOPPLED, MOBILE HOMES PUSHED OFF FOUNDATIONS OR OVERTURNED,  
LARGE TREE TOPS AND BRANCHES SNAPPED OFF, SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES  
KNOCKED OVER, MOVING VEHICLES BLOWN OFF ROADS, AND SMALL BOATS  
PULLED 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 AND  
PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN. ENSURE YOU ARE IN A  
SAFE LOCATION BEFORE THE ONSET OF STRONG WINDS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING.  
 
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN CALM, INFORMED, AND FOCUSED DURING AN  
EMERGENCY. BE PATIENT AND HELPFUL WITH THOSE YOU ENCOUNTER.  
 
RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS ARE DEADLY. IF YOU ARE IN A FLOOD-PRONE  
AREA, CONSIDER MOVING TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED  
ROADWAY. REMEMBER, TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN!  
 
IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, BE READY TO SHELTER  
QUICKLY, PREFERABLY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND IN AN INTERIOR ROOM NOT  
PRONE TO FLOODING. IF DRIVING, SCAN THE ROADSIDE FOR QUICK SHELTER  
OPTIONS.  
 
CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS  
FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. BE READY TO ADAPT TO POSSIBLE CHANGES  
TO THE FORECAST. ENSURE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE WEATHER  
WARNINGS.  
 
* 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 WEATHER  
SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC AROUND 11 AM EDT, OR SOONER IF  
CONDITIONS WARRANT.  
 
 
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