530
WTUS82 KGSP 261523
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>109-262330-
HURRICANE HELENE LOCAL STATEMENT ADVISORY NUMBER 13
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC AL092024
1123 AM EDT THU SEP 26 2024
THIS PRODUCT COVERS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GEORGIA
...HELENE TO BRING SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING AND POSSIBLE
HURRICANE FORCE 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 680 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG SC OR
ABOUT 720 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF ASHEVILLE NC
- 25.5N 85.5W
- STORM INTENSITY 105 MPH
- MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHEAST OR 25 DEGREES AT 14 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 60 TO 70 MPH
WITH UP TO 80 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER RIDGE TOPS 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
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 DANGEROUS TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS
INCLUDE:
- THE OCCURRENCE OF SCATTERED TORNADOES CAN HINDER THE EXECUTION
OF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS.
- SEVERAL PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE WITH A FEW SPOTS
OF CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE, POWER LOSS, AND COMMUNICATIONS FAILURES.
- LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOFS TORN OFF FRAME HOUSES, MOBILE
HOMES DEMOLISHED, BOXCARS OVERTURNED, LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED, VEHICLES TUMBLED, AND SMALL BOATS TOSSED ABOUT.
DANGEROUS PROJECTILES CAN ADD TO THE TOLL.
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.
KEEP CELL PHONES WELL CHARGED. CELL PHONE CHARGERS FOR AUTOMOBILES
CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT BE AWARE OF YOUR RISK FOR DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING IF YOUR CAR IS LEFT IDLING IN A GARAGE OR OTHER POORLY
VENTILATED AREA.
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 5 PM EDT, OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page