'This is going to be a crisis': Western NC braces for life-threatening flooding, potential mudslides from Helene

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The worst impacts in North Carolina will be to the west and up in the mountains.

Western North Carolina has already been dealing with heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes ahead of Helene’s arrival.

The mayor of Canton, Zeb Smathers, said he’s mostly worried about flash flooding and mudslides. He said it’s bringing back memories of Tropical Storm Fred.

“I’m going to lose a lot of sleep the next few nights,” he said.

Tropical Storm Fred sparked deadly floods and mudslides when it moved through the state in 2021. This time, Smathers said he’s not taking any chances.

“We have been preparing for this storm since Sunday,” Smathers said. “Right now, it’s about making sure lives are taken care of… because we know this storm is coming.”

‘This is going to be a crisis’

Smathers said he’s concerned that neighboring cities and towns are not prepared for Helene.

“We’re afraid this storm is so massive [and] so dangerous to the entire region, especially west of Canton, that our sister cities and towns may not be prepared,” he said.

Smathers is urging residents to prepare for the worst.

“This is going to be a crisis for the entire region,” he said. “If you are near a body of water or streambed, anywhere in western North Carolina, please take precautions, heed advice of emergency services, use common sense and check on your neighbors.”

WRAL meteorologists said winds gust could reach speeds as high as 80 mph in some areas – with Helene expected to dump as much as 15 inches of rain in the mountains.

Authorities with the North Carolina Department of Transportation are already preparing in the mountains.

“We have barricades already staged right now in flood prone areas,” Kim Deaner with NCDOT said. “If we know an area is going to flood, we’ve got those barricades ready to go [and] ready to block that off as soon as things start to flood.”

Duke Energy is also preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Helene – and is encouraging others to do the same.

Duke Energy said it’s closely monitoring the projected track of Helene as the hurricane makes its way to North Carolina.

Dangerous flooding, widespread power outages and isolated tornadoes will be possible. Line technicians and tree crews are ready to respond.

Duke Energy said it plans to use self-healing technology to help restore power.

“It automatically detects power outages and then reroutes power to other lines to help restore service faster for customers,” Brooks said. “This is like a GPS for the power grid. It looks for alternate ways to reroute power.

“It doesn’t take the tree off the line or fix the broken pole; we still need our utility crews to do that. But it can reduce the number of customers impacted by the outage by as much as 75%.”

You can report power outages on Duke Energy’s website or through the mobile app; you can also text OUT to 57801 or call 1-800-769-3766.

To see which areas are experiencing outages in real time, go to outagemap.duke-energy.com.

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How you can prepare for Helene

You need to be prepared when a hurricane hits. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know so you and your family are prepared when Hurricane Helene hits North Carolina this week.

Make an emergency supply kit

Have an emergency supply kit ready so you can take it with you during an evacuation or when you are forced to stay at home for days.

You can find a complete checklist by clicking here or the link below.

Make a family emergency plan

It’s important to make a family emergency plan and be ready when severe weather strikes.

Fill out this form to make an emergency plan to share with your family. Then make sure everyone in your household has discussed the plan and knows what to do in the event of an emergency.

Know your zone

In the event of a hurricane or tropical storm, it’s important to know if you’re in an evacuation zone.

Evacuation zones highlight the areas that are most at risk when it comes to storm surge and flooding. Twenty-one coastal counties have established predetermined evacuation zones.

You can find your zone by using the map provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Be aware of evacuation routes

When a hurricane is approaching, it’s important to memorize coastal evacuation plans and routes in case of a severe storm.

Find your evacuation route by clicking here.

Don’t forget to sign up for WRAL News weather alerts for the latest updates about Hurricane Helene. You can tune in to WRAL News+ 24/7 for live coverage leading up to, and during, the storm.