Tropical Storm Helene hits the Carolinas; flash flood warning in effect

ABOVE: The latest forecast update from Severe Weather Center 9. To stay on top of changing weather conditions, be sure to download our free WSOC-TV weather app.

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11 a.m. Friday – Officials say the failure of a dam in a western North Carolina town is “imminent.” Anyone below the Lake Lure Dam is asked to evacuate to higher ground as quickly as possible.

10:30 a.m. Friday – Tropical Storm Helene is moving north and the Charlotte area has seen the last of the heavy downpours as of 10:30 a.m., but western counties will likely be dealing with rain for a few more hours.

Rivers and creeks are overflowing, and Channel 9 crews have spotted flooding on roads like Interstate 40 and Highway 70 near Black Mountain.

9 a.m. – North Carolina counties in the west and northern parts of the state are seeing big impacts from flooding in cities. Channel 9 spotted streets underwater in Asheville and Boone, and flash flood warnings are in place for the rest of the day as the rain works through our waterways.

At this point, hundreds of thousands of customers in North Carolina are without power, according to Duke Energy. Many traffic lights are also without power due to the impact of Tropical Storm Helene. Keep updated on active weather alerts at this link.

FRIDAY MORNING STORIES FROM HELENE:

8 a.m. – A tornado watch was reissued for most of North Carolina and parts of South Carolina until 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

No tornados have been reported as of 8 a.m. Friday, but Severe Weather Center 9 is keeping an eye out for any spin-ups.

7 a.m. – Emergency crews have seen an uptick in the number of trees falling due to severe weather in the area. One person has already died from a tree falling on a home, and Channel 9 crews are looking into additional reports across the Charlotte area and South Carolina.

More than 50,000 people in the Charlotte area were without power as of 7 a.m., according to Duke Energy.

6:15 a.m. – At least one person is now dead in Charlotte as tropical weather moves into the area. This marks four people that have died amid Tropical Storm Helene.

MEDIC confirmed to Channel 9 that one person was killed when a tree fell onto a home on Brookway Drive in northwest Charlotte. Another victim was hurt and taken to the hospital.

The deluge of rain has saturated the ground and high wind gusts are putting trees at risk of falling over. Stay prepared and avoid top-level rooms throughout the severe weather.

6 a.m. – A flash flood warning was extended to 11 a.m. for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Union counties, and many other local counties are still under flash flood warnings. Heavy rain and strong winds will continue through the early morning.

More power lines are being affected by the weather, and the number of power outages is continuing to climb Friday morning. According to Duke Energy, nearly 30,000 customers were without power as of 6 a.m.

(See photos of the impacts)

5:30 a.m. – The wind from Tropical Storm Helene is starting to affect the Charlotte area. Gusts are reaching more than 40 miles per hour, and they could peak near 70 mph in areas near the mountains.

Rain will continue through the morning, and flash flood warnings are in place in several counties until at least 9 a.m. Friday.

According to Duke Energy, there were about 14,000 people without power early Friday morning. That number is expected to increase as the wind affects power lines.

4:55 a.m. – Helene has been officially downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, according to the National Weather Service. Rain is continuing to accumulate in the Carolinas as the storm moves across Georgia.

3:30 a.m. – Helene has made landfall and continues to move through Georgia Friday morning. Heavier rain and stronger winds will arrive in the Carolinas around 5 to 6 a.m.

A tornado watch is in effect until 8 a.m. Friday for the following counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, and Union counties. There are flash flood warnings in place early Friday morning in Chester, York, Avery, Burke, Caldwell and Iredell counties.

Just before 4 a.m., a National Guard rescue truck ended up getting stuck in high water near Riverside Drive in northwest Charlotte.

There is a tropical storm warning for parts of our area. The storm has prompted flash flooding alerts throughout the day and will continue.

Winds may gust over 50 miles per hour in the city, with higher gusts near 70 miles per hour in the mountains. That could bring trees down onto roadways and homes.

Keep an eye on traffic conditions with Channel 9′s live traffic map at this link.

>>Click here for the latest alerts

FRIDAY FORECAST:

• Temperatures are expected to only warm to the mid to upper 70s thanks to the rain. The worst weather comes from midnight through about 10 a.m. Friday.

• Rounds of very heavy rain and strong winds will lead to more flooding and trees down, especially west in the mountains. However, we are only expecting between 5 to 7 inches in the metro, but amounts in the high country could exceed 1 foot.

• Catastrophic flooding with landslides is possible where the heaviest rains fall. Right now, that risk looks highest in western North Carolina, just outside of our area.

• However, there could be similar issues in the northern mountains as well. Winds will also pick up with gusts over 40 mph in the metro and over 50 mph in the mountains. This could lead to trees down and power outages.

• We’ll also be on the lookout for any brief spin-ups with a low tornado risk.

• Helene will accelerate to the northwest by mid to late morning Friday, and our weather will improve quickly. River flooding will continue to be an issue going into the weekend.

>> Channel 9′s Weather 24/7 stream has the latest local weather all day, every day. Watch wherever you stream — on our website, or through your mobile app or smart TV.

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