The weather is deteriorating in the Hendersonville and Brevard areas

The city of Hendersonville has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene’s impact on the region following Governor Roy Cooper’s statewide alert.

A state of emergency for the city came into effect at 8 a.m. on September 26. The city will facilitate access to resources and provide assistance with rescue, shelter or evacuations as needed. The city’s government offices will be closed starting at noon on September 26 and will be closed all day on September 27.

A press release stated that there will be no waste, recycling or brush collection on Friday; Instead, collections will be completed on the regular day next week. The city reminded customers to secure trash carts to ensure they are not blown away during the storm.

Here’s what else we know about the upcoming weather in Hendersonville and more.

More: Self-evacuate: Fletcher and Biltmore Village residents are urged to leave river areas before Helene

Hendersonville weather today

Like much of Western North Carolina, Hendersonville is expected to experience severe impacts from Hurricane Helene and its “predecessor” rainfall.

Reports already indicate that approximately 4 to 10 inches of rain has fallen in the Hendersonville area over the past 24 hours. The National Weather Service expects another 6 to 10 inches over WNC over the next 24 hours as Helene’s outer rain band approaches the area.

The seven-day NWS forecast for Hendersonville calls for east-southeast winds of 9-11 mph this afternoon, increasing to 15-15 mph this evening with gusts up to 47 mph.

More: Hurricane Helene forecast for Western NC: ‘Catastrophic, life-threatening’ flooding possible

Hendersonville weather Friday

Persistent showers are expected on Friday, with a chance of thunder after 3pm. Some storms could bring heavy rainfall, with a forecast of 2-3 inches during the day. High, east-southeast winds are expected to reach speeds of 40-50 km/h, then 30-40 km/h in the afternoon. These wind speeds can reach up to 60 km/hour.

As of Friday evening, the 90% chance of rain has dropped to a 30% change, with only a tenth to a quarter of an inch possible. The wind will also have died down, with a forecast of southerly winds of 10 to 21 km/h and gusts of up to 39 km/h.

More: Hurricane Helene: Flooding, wind causing Western NC, Asheville event cancellations, closures

Brevard and Transylvania County

Transylvania County also issued a statement today, September 26, warning area residents that “while there appears to be a temporary weather break, the most severe weather is yet to come.”

The alert said emergency management is working with partner agencies and making contingency arrangements to address expected impacts overnight. Residents were advised to limit travel and prepare for forecast high winds, flooding and possible mudslides.

Everyone in flood-prone areas was advised to take proactive measures for the next 48 hours.

The alert also informed the public of the following closures:

Barclay Road at the French Broad River bridge
Baynardweg
Cascade Lake Road/Little River Campground Road
Davidson River Road near Old Hendersonville Highway
East Fork Road near Glady Fork Road
Green Road near Hannah Ford Road
Hartweg / Eagles Nest
Island Ford Road / Walnut Hollow Road
Merrill Lane/Cascade Lake Road
Hannah Ford Road near the top
Wilson Road / Water Treatment Plant

Weather Alerts in Western NC

There are many WNC weather alerts and warnings currently active.

Flood warning – A flash flood warning is in effect for WNC (Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Caldwell Mountains, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Polk Mountains, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey Counties). The alert warns of excessive runoff that could lead to “significant and damaging” flooding of rivers and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. These may include areas not typically affected by flooding. The alert also noted the possibility of widespread landslides in areas with steeper terrain, and large, damaging debris flows. The French Broad and Swannanoa River were mentioned as areas where severe flooding could occur.

Local hurricane declaration – The NWS has issued a hurricane warning, localized to western Carolina and northeastern Georgia. The warning included mentions of “potentially catastrophic flash flooding and major flooding of main rivers”, wind gusts of up to 100-120 km per hour and up to 130 km per hour over higher ridges.

In an area forecast discussion from the NWS, meteorologists said Helene is expected to make landfall over the Florida Panhandle late today. The storm will move quickly northward, causing persistent heavy rain, significant flooding and strong winds tonight through Friday morning. Expect a quieter weekend with temperatures close to seasonal normals.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].