Flooding in Buncombe County and surrounding areas of Western North Carolina has led to mandatory evacuation orders as rivers overflow past spillways.
Though Hurricane Helene has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, its path toward WNC has left outages, flooding and landslides in its wake.
In a 12:30 p.m. bulletin, Buncombe County said rivers in the county have not yet crested. The press release urged residents to continue to seek higher ground and shelter in place. Do not drive unless you are moving to higher ground.
Here’s what we know about flooding at the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers associated with several evacuation orders.
Asheville flooding, WNC
NOAA and USGS river gauges show flooding in WNC river basins. The flood stage begins at 9.5 feet, considered minor flooding. 13 feet is considered moderate flooding, while 18 feet is considered major flooding.
French Broad at Asheville – 13.75 feet as of 7:45 a.m. Predicted to peak at 21 feet at 8 p.m.
French Broad at Fletcher – 20.35 feet as of 8:15 a.m. Predicted to peak at a record-breaking 30.5 feet at 8 p.m.