This storm is hauling ass. Wind speeds and pressure met Cat 4 criteria per the NHC, but I haven’t seen anything close to those observations on the ground. Kinda weird from a scientific perspective, but I guess that’s the world we live in now. Obviously there will be damage, power outages and some deaths, unfortunately. This is a Cat 2 at most based on ground observations. What happens further inland will determine Helene’s real impact. The flooding inland could be catastrophic.
Probably the Biltmore Village area, prone to flooding. Asheville is a beautiful mountain town with a river, so some parts will be high and dry, others will flood badly, and there will be mudslides, most are predicting. I have relatives from the area and in the area.
Sheesh. I didn't know a gif could keep updating itself. I stayed up to post landfall and now look at it. SMDH.
It's a lot easier when you have a full week's notice and no major cities directly hit, but good on them for getting it right
I warned all my Asheville people to buckle up. I remember working in the last major storm in Asheville about 15 years ago. I was told there are no roads open in or out of asheville at this time.
Its not luck. This is how it is with any storm that is a pending threat to the state. FL does a very good job of deploying utility services before the storm. The advantage of FL is being a peninsula. The major roads going N/S on each side of the state allows the utility caravans to easily move up and down the state and then deploying directly into the regions needed if the storm hits Miss, AL, GA or the carolinas. The regional utilities all pitch in to help. Texas doesn't have this luxury
The Eyewall – Seeing you through the storm As of 3 PM ET, there are 16 "catastrophic" Flash Flood Emergencies in effect across the Appalachians. They range from Virginia to North Carolina to Tennessee and South Carolina and Georgia. The criteria for issuing flash flood emergencies is much more stringent than that of the typical flash flood warning. There needs to be an imminent risk of severe damage and/or loss of life. At least 16 counties or communities are reconciling that at present, not to mention the ones that have already been through things today
It's lucky to have a full week's notice that the storm is coming and where it's likely to hit. For example, Houston had about 2 days notice before Beryl. Previously the storm was expected to hit over 300 miles south of here. Florida was also lucky that no major cities were directly hit by the storm... that helps a lot
Its a big advantage for the rest of us - only one exit so we can track Florida Man when he tries to pass himself off as Homo sapiens.
