Press release from the National Weather Service:
FLOOD WARNING FROM 7:11AM EST FRI UNTIL 1:15PM EST FRI THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WARNING FOR… BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA… * UNTIL 115 PM EST FRIDAY. * AT 708 AM EST, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SERIES OF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS MOVING REPEATEDLY NORTHEAST ACROSS BUNCOMBE COUNTY. THESE SHOWERS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AT RATES IN EXCESS OF ONE-HALF INCH PER HOUR AND THIS HEAVY RAIN WAS AFFECTING LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RECEIVED 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. IN ADDITION, A BAND OF HEAVY SHOWERS WILL REDEVELOP FROM THE WEST THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THIS WILL WORSEN EXISTING FLOOD PROBLEMS AND CREATE NEW FLOODING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. * SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE, EAST ASHEVILLE, ARDEN, WEST ASHEVILLE, NORTH ASHEVILLE, BLACK MOUNTAIN, WOODFIN, SWANNANOA, WEAVERVILLE AND FAIRVIEW IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY. FLOODING IS MOST LIKELY TO DEVELOP AROUND WARREN WILSON COLLEGE ON THE SWANNANOA RIVER. ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS LIKELY ALONG CANE CREEK, GAP CREEK, AND ASHWORTH CREEK OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER-COVERED ROADWAYS, BRIDGES, OR LOW-LEVEL CROSSINGS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE. IT IS NOT WORTH THE RISK. PLEASE TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN. THE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF LANDSLIDES, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE SLIDES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST. BE ESPECIALLY ALERT IF YOU ARE NEAR A STREAM, ESPECIALLY AT THE BASE OF A MOUNTAIN OR IN A COVE. WATCH FOR LOOSE-MOVING SOIL AND ROCKS OR A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STREAMFLOW. LEAVE THE AREA QUICKLY IF THIS IS OBSERVED. WHEN DRIVING ALONG ROADS WHERE THE TERRAIN IS STEEP OR ROCKY, WATCH AND LISTEN FOR FALLING ROCKS, MUD, TREES AND OTHER DEBRIS. ONLY WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO, PLEASE REPORT FLOODWATERS OR LANDSLIDES FLOWING OVER ROADS OR THREATENING PROPERTY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, 1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, BY POSTING ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, OR VIA TWITTER USING HASHTAG NWSGSP. YOUR MESSAGE SHOULD DESCRIBE THE EVENT AND THE SPECIFIC LOCATION WHERE IT OCCURRED, INCLUDING ROADWAYS, NEARBY CROSS STREETS, STREAM NAMES AND OTHER LANDMARKS.
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