With the storm moving toward Western North Carolina, many residents may be remembering the devastation Tropical Storm Helene wreaked on the state in late September.
The good news, according to the National Weather Service, is that although the storm will sweep Asheville and the WNC region, it will not be anywhere near the size of Helene.
Here’s what the weatherman had to say.
Hazardous weather conditions in Asheville, WNC
A weather warning issued by the NWS at 2:10 pm Tuesday, December 10, warned that a storm is moving through the area with heavy rain and possible thunderstorms. Excessive rainfall in an area from large amounts of water moving over the same area can cause flooding on its own.
Although strong winds are possible, these conditions will likely occur after the storm passes on Wednesday, December 11.
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How much rain will Asheville, WNC get?
The NWS expects Asheville to see about 1.5 inches of rain from the storm, according to NWS Meteorologist Chris Horne. Amounts will vary in nearby areas, with the closest chance of 2.25-2.5 inches to Skyland and Fletcher, and 2.5 inches near Fairview and Bat Cave.
“Across Buncombe County normally, there’s going to be some sort of gradient,” Horne said. “It will bring some to the south, like to the airport and east to the Fairview area and Swannanoa, but a little to the northwest where you get in the state, like to Canto or Weaverville.”
Will it flood in Asheville, WNC?
Fortunately for WNC, no serious flooding is expected due to the approaching storm. Some isolated flooding is possible, as the dangerous weather forecast suggests, but Horne said river flooding shouldn’t be an issue.
“There will certainly be concerns about flooding of low-lying areas,” Horne said. “Right now, our forecast for the French Broad and the Swannanoa river is that it will remain under flood. So, you know, there will be areas of high water, maybe some water issues here and there, but you know, nowhere near the magnitude of what happened two and a half months ago.”
Will there be more landslides?
Landslides are not NWS’s area of expertise. However, Horne was able to say that, while the amount of water the region will see is not enough to cause concern, the areas already reduced by Helene should be evaluated.
“Any type of heavy rain can affect the soil that has already been disturbed, even if the amount of water is less than what we would expect for any landslide that occurs,” Horne said. “But off the top of my head, given the past history of multiple landslides, I bet you there will be a struggle for them to move again.”
There were more than 2,000 landslides in the WNC region as a result of Helene and the storm that preceded the rainfall.
When will the storm end?
After tonight, December 10, the severe weather warning issued by the NWS will end. Any rain on Wednesday, December 11, is expected to occur mostly before 9 a.m., with heavy fog before noon.
Iris Seaton is a travel reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on the Asheville Citizen Times: Flooding in Asheville, Western NC during Dec. 10 storms? Forecast