Editor’s note: This month, 828newsNOW reflects on the anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, which struck Western North Carolina in late September 2025, leaving communities grappling with flooding, power outages and widespread damage. Over the coming weeks, we will publish a series of stories examining the storm’s impact, from personal accounts of residents and first responders to the ongoing efforts to rebuild and prepare for other storms.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — History, they say, has a way of repeating itself. For me, it came in the form of Fred and Helene, two tropical storms that struck Western North Carolina years apart, but with hauntingly similar devastation.
I was working through both.
Tropical Storm Helene
When Hurricane Helene began bearing down on Florida last September, the mountains of North Carolina were already drenched from a stalled front that sent streams to record heights. Flood warnings were in effect by Sept. 25, and our newsroom at 828newsNOW scrambled to push out road closures, shelter details and emergency contacts…