Effects of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina

Effects of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina

Satellite loop of Helene over the Appalachian region on 27 September.
Meteorological history
Formed	September 24, 2024
Extratropical	September 27, 2024
Dissipated	September 29, 2024
Tropical storm
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds	45 mph (75 km/h)
Highest gusts	70 mph (110 km/h)
Lowest pressure	972 mbar (hPa); 28.70 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	≥99
Missing	≈600
Areas affected	North Carolina, particularly western parts
Part of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season

North Carolina was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene during late September 2024, primarily in its western Appalachian region, causing dozens of reported deaths and significant destruction of infrastructure and residential areas across several settlements. After making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida on September 27, the hurricane began to traverse over land across Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane and into the Appalachian mountain range as a Tropical Storm, depositing record-breaking amounts of rainfall across several settlements in western North Carolina, such as Asheville, Swannanoa, Chimney Rock, Montreat, Lake Lure, and several others.

As a result of the historic rainfall, several rivers in the region overflowed and inundated multiple settlements, destroying houses and infrastructure and cutting off power, transportation, and communications to many towns for prolonged periods. In addition, several dams were breached and mudslides occurred across the region, significantly worsening damage.

Background

Western North Carolina, and Appalachia as a whole, has historically been victim to significant flooding and damage caused by weakened hurricanes or their remnants, despite being far inland of coastal regions that are typically bear the strongest and most publicized impacts. This is due to the deposition of moisture onto mountain ranges that can result in intense rainfall that can cause significant swelling of rivers and bodies of water, as well as torrents of water flowing down mountainous areas which cause destruction and damaging mudslides.

For example, rainfall from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 spread across the southeastern United States along the Appalachian Mountains corridor; totals of over 5 in (130 mm) were reported where Georgia and South Carolina meet North Carolina. In West Virginia, the remnants of Andrew combined with a cold front to produce 1.5 to 2.5 in (38 to 64 mm) of rain over portions of the state, causing flooding in areas of Morgantown with poor drainage.

Hurricane Camille in 1969 was another example of significant rainfall and damage weakened storms could generate while crossing Appalachian regions. Camille was no longer a hurricane when it reached Appalachia, but it carried high amounts of moisture and contained sufficient strength and low pressure to pull in additional moisture, causing caused significant flooding and deaths inland while crossing the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. western and central Virginia received over 8 inches (200 mm) of rain from Camille's remains, leading to significant flooding across the state. A total of 153 people lost their lives from blunt trauma sustained during mountain slides, related to the flash flooding, not drowning. Because the hurricane was expected to quickly dissipate over land, few were prepared for the flash flooding and secondary impacts. Landslides occurred on hillsides with a slope greater than 35 percent. Camille was considered one of the worst natural disasters in central Virginia's recorded history. In the mountain slopes between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, more than 26 inches (660 mm) of rain fell in 12 hours, but the worst was in Nelson County where 27 inches (690 mm) fell. An encyclopedia article stated that "So much rain fell in such a short time in Nelson County that, according to the National Weather Service at the time, it was 'the probable maximum rainfall which meteorologists compute to be theoretically possible.'"

Meteorology

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Meteorologist Ben Noll reported that about 1.5 times more moisture was transported to western North Carolina than any prior recorded event in the region, with an estimated integrated vapor transport quantity of roughly 3,000 kilograms per meter per second that surpassed the prior record of 1,883 kg/m/s. The amount of moisture and rainfall deposited in the region was considered exceptional due to it being far inland of the East Coast and the Gulf Coast.

The North Carolina State Climate Office at North Carolina State University reported that its Mount Mitchell weather station recorded 24.41 in (620 mm) of rainfall. The office referred to the total as a "off the charts", comparing it to 16.5 in (420 mm) of rainfall being a once-in-1,000-year flood for the area. Asheville Regional Airport recorded 19.38 in (492 mm) of rainfall before losing communication. A North Carolina Forest Service weather station recorded receiving 31.33 in (796 mm) of rain from 25 to 27 September, requiring further verification.

Readings from the NWS Greenville-Spartanburg recorded 30.78 in (782 mm) of rainfall in Busick, and a minimal pressure of 972.2 millibars in Mount Mitchell State Park.

Preparations

On 25 September, Western North Carolina was placed under tropical storm warnings, with Governor Roy Cooper declaring a state of emergency for the state. Both Gorges State Park and Mount Mitchell State Park were closed due to the storm, with a shutdown also occurring on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Significant closures also occurred on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including on U.S. Route 441.

Impact

North Carolina Impacts Associated with Hurricane Helene

County	Fatalities	Injuries	Evacuations
Buncombe County	≥61	Unknown	Unknown
Catawba County	≥1	≥2	≥25
Cleveland County	≥2	Unknown	≥12
Gaston County	≥1	Unknown	≥9
Henderson County	≥9	Unknown	Unknown
Macon County	1	Unknown	Unknown
Mecklenburg County	1	≥1	≥100
Polk County	≥1	Unknown	Unknown
Swain County	0	Unknown	≥36
Yancey County	≥4	Unknown	Unknown

Ninety-nine people were killed in North Carolina, while about 600 more were left unaccounted for in the state as of October 3rd. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) issued a statement on their website that all roads in western North Carolina should be considered closed. A unit from the 1st Battalion of the 169th Aviation Regiment, part of the Connecticut Army National Guard, was deployed to help assist disaster relief efforts.

Appalachian State's football game against Liberty was canceled due to flooding and was not rescheduled. A mudslide and floodwaters from the Pigeon River swept a section of Interstate 40 at the North Carolina–Tennessee border away, forcing another closure. The Pigeon River rose higher in Canton than during Hurricane Frances in 2004 and Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. In Busick, rainfall totals reached 30.78 in (782 mm). The University of North Carolina at Asheville canceled all classes through October 9, along with Appalachian State campuses of Boone and Hickory through October 5, and Western Carolina University through October 4.

Areas in the Black Mountains region in western North Carolina were particularly devastated, with the Black Mountain Police Chief reporting that Montreat and Swannanoa were “gone” with neighborhoods destroyed, including homes that were on fire, along with numerous fatalities that could not immediately be dealt with. The village of Chimney Rock was also largely destroyed. More than 400 roads were closed in western North Carolina, and over 200 people had to be rescued from floods.

Avery County

Avery County likely experienced its worst flooding event in recorded history, with at least hundreds of dwellings damaged by flooding, likely destroying many of them. Landslides and floodwaters also carried away bridges and roads and led to extensive road closures, isolating many communities. A number of water rescues also occurred. In Elk Park, a family's home was swept away by rapid floodwaters, which was photographed before it struck the riverbank and tore apart, leaving one person missing. Winds downed many trees and powerlines, leaving nearly 100% of Avery County without electricity.

Buncombe County

A flooded street in Buncombe County, North Carolina, on 27 September 2024.

In Buncombe County, waterways associated with the French Broad River basin exceeded previous highest-ever heights by several feet, while many weather observation sites broke three-day rainfall total records. Floodwaters covered large swaths of I-40 and U.S. Route 74, resulted in numerous road closures, and washed away some bridges and roads. This, as well as landslides, left communities isolated. At least hundreds of businesses and homes experienced some degree of water damage. High winds felled many trees and power lines. Nearly all of the county was left without electricity and water. The death toll in Buncombe County reached 57 on October 1, although many people remain missing.

Asheville

A curfew was issued for Asheville due to the damage that occurred inside the city. The city broke their record for two-day rainfall, recording 9.87 in (251 mm) of rain. Almost the entirety of Biltmore Village and the River Arts District were flooded, and the city was largely isolated due to loss of power and cell service. Landslides around Asheville forced sections of I-26 and I-40 to close, and triggered a flash flood emergency for the location. Access to Asheville was cut off from September 27–28 via I-26 to South Carolina.

The National Climatic Data Center forcibly shut down due power outages and flooding caused by the storm.

Fairview

Fairview in Buncombe County suffered severe damage from flooding, with the Garren Creek area deemed "completely devastated". One resident was forced to grab onto a pole to survive rapid flood waters, while two women were carried by floodwaters in their house until it crashed in a forest.

Swannanoa

Floodwaters in Swannanoa caused the Davidson Road Bridge to collapse. Residents of the town reported to local media outlets that there were multiple missing persons who were living in rural areas. Residents also reported that no search and rescue operations had reached their location as of 29 September, leaving several residents who had not prepared for the degree of flooding without food or drinkable water. At least one missing person was living near the Bee Tree Christian Church, which had been destroyed by flooding and fallen trees.

Damage to the town included cars that had been lifted to the tops of trees by the elevated floodwaters, thick mud burying several businesses and roads, and several homes along the river that were destroyed and deposited far downstream. A resident reported that it took less than an hour for water in one residential area to rise by over 4 feet.

Catawba County

In Catawba County, Helene produced wind gusts up to 52 mph (84 km/h) at the Hickory Regional Airport. Consequently, power outages occurred and numerous trees were toppled. Heavy rains caused one indirect death and two injuries due to a car accident. Although minor flooding was reported along streams, the release of water via the Oxford Dam resulted in major flooding on the Catawba River and Lookout Shoals Lake. Consequently, the latter crested at its height level since 1940 – 9.45 ft (2.88 m). Downstream flooding prompted evacuations and damaged several homes.

McDowell County

In Marion, the county seat of McDowell County, a couple's home was destroyed by a mudslide, requiring a rescue by a pulley system, leaving one missing. A Baxter International manufacturing plant was heavily impacted by floodwaters, forcing its temporary closure and halting of the production of medications, dialysis solutions, and IV fluids for nationwide distribution.

Mitchell County

Spruce Pine, the largest town in Mitchell County, was heavily inundated with 24.12 inches of rainfall and the swelling of the North Toe River, significantly damaging the downtown area and destroying several shops, roads, and connections to water and electricity. Due to Spruce Pine being one of the few places in the world with "ultra-high quality" quartz mines essential for semiconductor production, damage from Helene was predicted to hamper global microchip supplies and technological supply chains if the town's quartz mines were damaged and shut down for long periods.

Rutherford County

Chimney Rock

National Weather Service data indicated that over 19 inches of rain fell in areas upstream and to the west of Chimney Rock, leading to devastating floodwaters that destroyed half of the village according to rescue crew, including half of the businesses on the south side of the village near the Broad River. Most of Main Street and most of the businesses located on it were destroyed by the rapid floodwaters, with Pamlico County Emergency Manager Chris Murray remarking, "I’ve never seen concentrated damage like we’ve seen here... There’s nothing left."

Pamlico County rescue personnel reported that they had rescued four people, and evacuated 106 more people in addition to two cats and two dogs. Many of those isolated due to the lack of power and available communication were airlifted by Rutherford County Emergency Management to RS Central High School.

Lake Lure

The National Weather Service stated that 19 inches of rain had fallen to the west of Lake Lure, leading to significant rising of its water levels by the morning of 26 September that caused extensive flooding. Marina docks and boats on the lake were carried down onto the remains of destroyed structures, many of which had been carried down from Chimney Rock. One women was rescued with her dog after being stranded inside a collapsed house along a riverbank.

Rutherford County officials issued a mandatory evacuation order to residents living downstream of Lake Lure for them to find higher ground, as the Lake Lure Dam's 124-foot-high barrier was entirely overtopped by water, had water pouring from around its sides, and was thus expected to suffer from imminent failure. Evacuation sirens sounded in settlements downstream of the dam. About 7,000 Newport, TN residents and 1,600 Lake Lure residents were given evacuation orders. Lake Lure Dam was later evaluated to have no imminent failure expected, although erosion on both sides of the dam and the compromising of the structural supports were reported.

Secondary impacts in Tennessee

Walters Dam breach

As a result of prominent flooding across eastern Tennessee as a result of Tropical Storm Helena, the Cocke County Emergency Management Agency issued a statement for residents in the area:

Please do not call central dispatch or E-911 unless experiencing an emergency. We are aware of road conditions and are actively working to place signage in affected areas. Road conditions are impassable at this time. Please shelter in place or go to a family or friends home. If you are displaced, please go to either of our emergency shelters located at the Newport Community Center at 426 Cosby Highway Newport TN, or Liberty Church of Cosby at 3541 Cosby Highway Cosby TN.

— Cocke County Emergency Management Agency

At 2:56 p.m. EST, Mayor of Cocke County Rob Mathis posted a statement on his Facebook page reporting the catastrophic failure of the Walters Dam:

"THE WATERVILLE DAM HAS SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. EVACUATION ALL OF DOWNTOWN NEWPORT IMMEDIATELY."

— Rob Mathis, Facebook

About a half-hour after his initial statement at 3:24 p.m, Mathis issued a state of emergency for Cocke County. The Morristown National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for the settlements along Pigeon River, which included Cocke County seat Newport and Hartford, stated that 20,017 people could potentially be impacted by life-threatening flooding, along with four schools and one hospital.

River level probes recorded by United States National Water Prediction Service at the Pigeon River by Newport indicated that at 3:00 p.m. EST, immediately following the dam failure, water levels reached 26.17 feet, over twice as high as the highest "Major" warning level for the location at 12 feet. Multiple inmates of Cocke County Jail were evacuated from the jail to the Cocke County Courthouse located on higher ground.

Later, the National Weather Service (NWS) and state officials stated that reports of catastrophic failure were a false alarm according to Duke Energy, the operator of the dam, while still maintaining the evacuation order.

Aftermath

Rescue and recovery

Flooding on U.S. Route 64 in Henderson County on 27 September 2024.

Of the 189 people reported victims of Hurricane Helene in the United States, 95 people were in North Carolina, surpassing the state record of 80 deaths recorded in a 1916 flood. Of these, 40 residents of Buncombe County were among the deceased. The reported count of missing people was under 600 people by 29 September, according to a Register of Deeds update. Asheville officials reported on 2 October that 26 residents were unaccounted for.

North Carolina Sheriff’s Association reported that two officers were killed by flood waters during rescue operations. Pack mules were utilized to access areas inaccessible by other means in North Carolina. Operation AirDrop and the Carolina Emergency Response Team helped deploy volunteer private helicopter pilots to assist in rescue efforts.

Henderson County issued a public statement urging tourists outside of the region to not come to visit the area, while instructing them to bring essential toiletries, water, and non-perishable food if they still decided to visit in order to aid those in need.

Mayor of Canton Zeb Smathers referred to recovery efforts as being for a "21st century storm with 20th century technology” due to telecommunication and power outages forcing first responders to use pack mules and handwritten notes for communication and delivery. Black Mountain residents resorted to using makeshift message boards to list missing residents and humanitarian aid details.

Effect on 2024 elections

The North Carolina State Board of Elections reported that at least ten election offices were closed as a result of flooding, causing difficulties in voter registration by the 11 October deadline and possible prevention of early in-person voting in affected regions, beginning 17 October. The state board expressed that its officials were attempting to reopen impacted election offices in order to process new voter registrations and absentee ballot requests before their deadlines pass.

Healthcare

Physician and Obama administration worker Dr. Kavita Patel described healthcare in the affected regions as being in "Third World conditions" due to supply shortages and power outages hindering care, reporting that several doctors in the region resorted to using Amazon Wishlist products such as water-sanitizing tablets to make water drinkable. 1,200 North Carolina Department of Adult Correction inmates were relocated due to power and water shortages.

In addition, a Baxter International manufacturing plant in Marion was closed as a result of the storm's impact, which analysts predicted could lead to significant disruptions to national medical supply chains, causing shortages of medications, dialysis solutions, and IV fluids nationwide.

Power and utility outages

On 1 October, Governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper reported that 460,000 North Carolinians suffered from power outages. Of these, over 100,000 people across Buncombe County suffered from power outages lasting into 1 October. These, in addition to destroyed, damaged, and blocked bridges, destruction of utilities such as power and water, and the “complete infrastructural failure” across several settlements, significantly complicated rescue efforts and aid delivery. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein received over seventy complaints about the price gouging of groceries and hotel rooms, prompting him to compel businesses to provide support to those in need. Only one school out of 53 in Buncombe county had running water, forcing their closures.

Duke Energy reported that the degree of destruction to power infrastructure would require "significant replacement". On 2 October, Duke Energy reported that 370 substations in western North Carolina were damaged or destroyed by the impacts of Helene, with several having been underwater.

On 2 October, Verizon reported that while it had recovered cell coverage to 60% of all regions affected by Helene, that western North Carolina's thick forests, mountainous terrain, destroyed or blocked roads, and ongoing flooding made fixing cell towers in the region difficult, causing them to resort to use drones to provide temporary coverage. T-Mobile also noted difficulties in restoring coverage in North Carolina due to access challenges, resorting to distributing Wi-Fi connectivity stations and mobile generators to the region. Starlink announced that its satellite internet service would be free for all regions impacted by Helene for 30 days.

Road damage

The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that 400 roads in western North Carolina, including hundreds of state and national routes, were closed or deemed impassable due to landslides, flooding, and destroyed bridges caused by Helene. Westbound I-40 and I-26 were initially closed, and were later reopened only for evacuations. Several roads were in areas that were either difficult to reach due to Appalachia's mountainous terrain or from closed roads preventing other roads from being accessed, making it difficult to assess every road that was damaged and resulted in an estimate of several months time for some roads to be fixed. The department declared that all roads in western North Carolina should be considered closed to non-residents who were not providing aid. Florida's Department of Transportation sent its own personnel and portable bridges to aid in road assessment and reconstruction.

The eastbound I-40 section in the Pigeon River Gorge collapsed into the Pigeon River due to its swelling and rapid flow, and was considered by the department to be the most challenging section of road to fix. The Blue Ridge Parkway was indefinitely closed due to damage between mileposts 217 to 469.

Political responses

Governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper stated on 1 October that “The devastation brought by Hurricane Helene is beyond belief” and that, “Communities were wiped off the map.” He further reported that over 57,000 people applied for FEMA assistance. He commended the first responders and healthcare workers who traveled to devastated areas to assist those in need, especially since many were departing from their own homes which had been severely impacted by the storm. Director of Emergency Management for North Carolina William Ray instructed people to not use drones in the area due to the potential hazards it could bring to rescue and response operations.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was directed by United States President Joe Biden to stay in North Carolina until the region was stabilized, with Biden intending to visit Raleigh. Over 1,200 personnel entered North Carolina, along with ten search and rescue teams. Biden also directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to send 1,000 active-duty military personnel to the region.

Governor of Florida Ron Desantis sent resources and personnel from Florida to North Carolina to assist with rescue operations.

During the 1 October Vice Presidential debate, Republican J.D. Vance called the hurricane's impact “an unbelievable, unspeakable human tragedy” and stated that both he and Democrat Tim Walz "want as robust and aggressive as a federal response as we can get to save as many lives as possible. And then, of course, afterwards, to help the people in those communities rebuild”. Walz concurred and called the hurricane a "horrific tragedy".

Long-term impacts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported that only 0.8 percent of households in disaster-declared counties in North Carolina held FEMA flood insurance policies. Environmental and insurance experts stated that the lack of flooding insurance would significantly slow the rebuilding and repairing of flood-damaged properties, as well as the recovery of entire communities. Lack of flooding insurance can also force many of the impacted to deplete their savings or abandon their homes entirely. Experts stated that low-income communities would suffer the worst due to lacking substantial savings and potentially not qualifying for credit from banks or from Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans.

These predictions were partly based on a 2023 study examining the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in 2018, which found that uninsured losses, when coupled with declining property values, caused significant increases in the risk of mortgage default and abandonment of housing. Similar patterns were observed following Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

See also

• Effects of Hurricane Dorian in the Carolinas
• Effects of Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina

External links

• Post Hurricane Helene Report for the Western Carolinas and Northeast Georgia —NWS Greenville-Spartanburg
• Tropical Storm Helene Event Summary – NWS Wilmington