I lived in Western North Carolina years ago.

[paleotn]

I know the area well. Small mountain towns between Asheville and Boone, east towards Morganton and Hickory. West into Tennessee. My better half has reached out to some of our old friends still in the area but contact is spotty at best. Power is out, cell service is out. They were flooding before Helene even moved north simply due to the size of the storm and the stalled front across the southeast. And then it got worse. Biblically worse. Doppler radar estimates up to 4 FEET of rain fell on the peaks of the mountains in places around Western NC. 4 FEET!

Towns like Spruce Pine are cut off and will remain so for...who the hell knows how long? Bakersville, the Mitchell county seat, was completely flooded. Mitchel and Avery counties are nearly inaccessible. Mountain roads are gone. Just...gone. Let that sink in. Whole roads gone. Whole modern, concrete bridges, some of them quite large, are gone. Montreat and Swannanoa are gone. Floods and landslides. Whole neighborhoods gone. No one knows what the death toll may be.

Parts of Unicoi County across the border in TN were evacuated. Limestone Cove for one. I know it well. Erwin, the county seat is flooded out. Patients and staff were evaced by Nat Guard helo from the roof of the local hospital, the water rose so quickly. A small hotel and restaurant I use to frequent right on the crest of the Blue Ridge outside of Spruce Pine, NC, is gone. Just gone. Slid down the mountain. Hwy 226 up the Blue Ridge is gone in places. East bound lanes of I40 through the Pigeon River gorge, TN to NC, are just gone. Bridges across the Nolichucky River in TN are gone. Massive, modern, concrete bridges, 50 ft. over the river and 30 yards long...are gone. Hot Springs, NC completely flooded. Nolichucky Dam towards Greeneville, TN is holding but was feared it would fail. Lake Lure dam in NC was overtopped and failure was predicted, but it held. Thank your personal deity for small miracles.

I haven't lived there in years and years and can't wrap my head around the scale of the destruction. It just doesn't register that this can actually be real. Particularly a place I know so intimately. It's biblical. That's the only words I have to describe it. This isn't a 100 year storm or even a 500 year storm. This is so off the fucking charts. Places that have never flooded in human memory are destroyed and washed away. Sad, sad day in the paleotn household. I'm just in shock.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Thanks for the background and report, wish we had some visuals

[Leghorn21]

2. Thanks for this post, paleotn

I started the day watching tornadoes heading to my friend’s house in Chapel Hill NC, oh, my nerves were on fire, but happily, she escaped harm — then from there, yeah, the devastation unfolded in all those towns and areas you mentioned, and I just about could not believe what I was seeing in the videos and photos posted as the day went on —

No one can comprehend the scale and severity of such massive destruction, but your post brings it into sharper focus, for sure - thank you again for taking the time to spell it out for the rest of us —

[llmart]

3. I know that area well also.

I didn't live there but vacationed there and had business travel there. All those cities and small towns you mentioned brought it all back to me. This is a truly beautiful area and I can't even imagine all that you describe in such a scenic place. It saddens me greatly. I was even planning a fall trip to that general area, but now won't.

[MissB]

4. It is quite horrific. I'm not sure how one prepares for an event like that

Getting out of the way seems like the only option.

I’m hoping some folks are prepared to stay out for a long haul.

Natural disasters are just never good. Around here, I worry about a big earthquake. (Especially with some mysterious sulfur odor popping up in parts of Vancouver/Portland over the last week). We prepare as we can, but the reality is that Mother Nature can be a destructive force.

[Solly Mack]

5. I am sorry for everyone affected. The landmarks of personal history and local color getting erased -

and that's hard to see. It is a shock to the system.

[Deuxcents]

6. I have a cousin in Cullowhee. I believe Western Carolina University is there, too.

There’s been no communication yet

[Silent Type]

7. The immediate loss is bad enough. But this is also the region's biggest tourist season. Everyone will suffer.

We go to North Carolina mountains at least once a year, usually around this time.

[SharonAnn]

29. I have family that planned to Asheville area for a week in mid October.

Reservations for a week or so and plans to drive and tourist all around the area and the Blue Ridge highway.

[TBF]

8. Waiting to hear from a friend near Asheville -

last contact he had with a family member was 1:00 yesterday. He's on high ground and house ok - but trees down, power out, and road washed out. They were expecting a lot of rain, but obviously not a disaster of this proportion.

[Double A]

9. I was hoping to move up to WNC in a few years

Not sure if that's still even going to be on the table. I really hope they bounce back, but this is just so unfathomable.

My in laws live up in Bandana. Can't get down their driveway. Surprised they could even contact us last night, I was expecting to have to wait days. We were going to go visit them and check out Hot Springs in 2 weeks. Don't think that will be happening.

What hotel got washed out? Little Switzerland? Do you know if the cafe is still there, or the orchard and winery?

[area51]

15. Welcome to DU.

[paleotn]

23. I know Bandana. Glad your in laws are OK.

Word we've received is the Mountain View restaurant and motel is pretty much gone in a landslide. It was perched on the edge of the Blue Ridge just as Hwy 226 goes down the mountain from Spruce Pine. Unreal.

[Sequoia]

10. Its so tragic

Born and raised in beautiful WNC. The photos of destruction in Cherokee, Lake Lure, and Chimney Rock are painful to see. Happy places our dad took us for a day of summer fun. All our news is showing is the destruction in Florida but not this area.

[littlemissmartypants]

32. It's because you mostly can't get there except by air.

Most of the roads are washed out. The cell towers were washed away or cut off. There's no electricity, water. I've been hoping to hear from my friends from there but not a word. I'm trying not to cry.

[moonscape]

11. God. I grew up there and you gave

the 1st specific report I have found. Was texting with several friends before they lost power night before last but now they’re dark so couldn’t get info.

Unreal. 😭

[Warpy]

12. I know the area, too

and remember well what would happen when a hurricane would rain itself out there. I can easily imagine how many roads are gone now, they were barely clinging to life 55 years ago. Washouts were more common than landslides and harder to fix. Some people are going to have to hike out to the nearest town to get help.

[nolabear]

13. Appalachian State in Boone is seriously damaged.

They’ve got a lot of college kids stranded in compromised buildings and are trying to figure out how to contact families. And of course so many families in those hills. It’s unthinkable.

[paleotn]

24. Yep. Same at Lees-McCrae in Banner Elk. Sheltering in place.

[Martin68]

14. Do you have a link to a report suggesting 48 inches of rain fell in NC? when I Google it, it says that up to 30 inches

of rain have fallen in NC, which is a lot. A few years back 36 inches fell in a 24 hour period where my parents live in Virginia, and it was termed a wrld record.

[paleotn]

27. My better half ran across that in a facebook post. NOAA chatter. Can't confirm exact totals

but supposedly estimated from doppler radar throughout the storm.

[dweller]

16. Just now on Facebook I found some clips

In the reels that are posted , coming in from Asheville and chimney rock
and it’s bad … not what I’m seeing in my local nc news broadcast
I’ve saved them but not sure how I can post them here
Check out your feed on fb

edit: here are the links I copied

https://www.facebook.com/reel/889153083124212/

https://www.facebook.com/jdscottwx/videos/949014753653896/


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[littlemissmartypants]

33. Thanks dweller. ❤️

[birdographer]

17. For a little good news...

We live in Macon County, in western NC. The only affect of Helene we had was gentle rain overnight on Thursday. We lost our power, which was inevitable. Yesterday we had blue sky, sunshine, white puffy clouds, and an occasional breeze. We went out around 3:00 to get groceries. Roads were dry. The Cullasaja River had risen enough to flood yards that are next to it, but it had not reached the road that those houses sit next to. Stores are all open, but for cash only since they have no connectivity to take credit cards.

This is full Day Two of no power, but we are fortunate to have a whole-house generator. However, the pump is in a shared well and not on our system, so we have had no running water. Funny how you miss being able to shower, wash dishes, and flush the toilet. (As for the latter, we have a branch stream that runs by the house (which has barely risen, oddly) and so water from that can be poured into the tank for periodic flushing.) While we seem to be surrounded by destruction, this little area has had nothing but light rain and power outage.

[paleotn]

25. That is good news.

[4TheArts]

18. Myself in the southwest corner of NC

We were, compared to those north of us, untouched. Spending yesterday and today trying to contact friends all across the mountain counties. Social media has helped as most telecommunications systems are down. Fellow Art Council directors in the western counties have a group FB page that helps, but some folks I still haven't heard from. Scary. The drone pictures I'm seeing are unbelievable.

[4TheArts]

41. Just updating

Art Council Directors in the western NC counties are meeting weekly by zoom now with state officials and funding agency officials to set in motion the resources to bring the art communities back to like. Time and money. Patience, but plans in motion.

[LisaM]

19. We have relatives in Montreat.

There is a lot of damage to the roads. All their bridges are washed out. No power. No one can go anywhere. And they have it better than a lot of places. We were just there a couple of months ago. We had some heavy rains but before that they had been dealing with drought.

[timvrip]

20. Here's a link to the Asheville paper

I used to live in Asheville before I moved to France six years ago. I have sent messages to several friends and have not gotten any replies. I figure they are without power.

Here’s the link: https://www.citizen-times.com/]
Lots of photos!
By the way, I used to be an editor at the Asheville Citizen-Times.

[littlemissmartypants]

34. I haven't heard from any of my friends there. I'm so worried I'm beside myself.

I don't even want to imagine all of the misery.

[soandso]

37. Never been there

but see this exquisite old bridge is gone:



How sad. Such a lovely landmark that will not be rebuilt. Imagine the force required to take that out!

Everyone should check youtube. There's a lot of drone footage of WNC and ETN.

[WestMichRad]

21. Looked at my phone's map app of the major roads in the area

Nearly all of the major highways have large sections that are closed… in both directions. You can be sure the secondary roads are in similar shape.
Yikes. Gonna take a long time to rebuild the infrastructure in that region.

[paleotn]

26. Recovery will take years. The infrastructure damage is hard to even fathom.

[ananda]

22. Ever since I saw Dan Rather reporting on Carla...

I have had great respect for hurricanes, and I
evacuated every time no matter what.

Even tropical storms were difficult with the flooding.

[paleotn]

28. Responders from NY to CA are in the region to help out.

The response is incredible and heartwarming. That's what America is all about. Whether it's hurricane damage on the coast of FL, wildfires in CA or flooding in NC, we've got each other's back.

[littlemissmartypants]

35. Swift water rescue left from here to go there on Wednesday.

Last I heard anything about them they were having "terrain" issues. I wasn't able to get any clarification on what they meant but I can imagine.

[Keepthesoulalive]

30. I'm going to be a jerk

What about little pigs. If you are familiar with Asheville you know what I am referring to.
The owner is or was the most wonderful man and would always accommodate our taking a 6 month
Supply of western Carolina bbq.

[japple]

31. I lived in Asheville and then Banner Elk for 25 years. I worked at App State for

many years and am heartbroken over the damage to this area. My husband's family has a house in Franklin, and we traveled back and forth between the high country and the westernmost regions of NC then down into Georgia to see my parents.

I've heard/read that Banner Elk is only accessible by helicopter. Roads are washed out. Their cell service is spotty, although there was service at city hall. Part of the Beech Mtn Prkwy has washed out. I can imagine how bad the area between Banner Elk and Roan Mtn. must be. I was able to see some footage by searching youtube for local weather reports from Charlotte and east TN.

[Sogo]

36. Astonishing, really.

I can't help but wonder how all this is going to affect the vote in these states that are so critical....

[bearsfootball516]

38. I had the same thought.

Western NC is deeply conservative. I have to wonder if this depresses turnout in that area.

[moonscape]

40. It's a cluster. From Reddit:

billygoats86
•
8 hr. ago
•
Where are you located? Gerry Cohen posted on Twitter that some USPS zip codes will be suspended in certain parts of the state because of Helene.

Here's the tweet:

Major NC USPS alert. All retail and delivery mail services are suspended in zip codes beginning in 286, 287, 288, 289, and also 39 other listed post offices. Besides the human tragedy, for election officials who could not place 190,000 absentee ballots in the mail until Sept 24 because of an 18-day delay ordered by a vote of the State Supreme Court, this is also a major potential threat to voting, especially since the 2023 legislative session ended the 3-day grace period.

Link to tweet

[dweller]

39. I just heard a report on WRAL

Last edited Sun Sep 29, 2024, 08:00 PM - Edit history (1)

About conditions and they were talking about Buncombe co and they said
‘ 1,000 ppl are unaccounted for , or maybe 1,000s are unaccounted for’
Yesterday they said 60 , and now 1,000s ?

I’m afraid that number will grow in the coming days
😔

Here is the report , skip to 6:30 mins for that estimate
https://m.

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