Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, as Hurricane Helene prepares to dump heavy rains on the Charlotte area and North Carolina mountains.
Helene strengthened from a tropical storm before noon Wednesday and is forecast to become a major hurricane Thursday night, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Widespread heavy rain is expected late Wednesday afternoon and will persist through Friday morning, National Weather Service meteorologists in the Greer, South Carolina, office said Wednesday morning on X, the former Twitter.
Charlotte could see 2” to 4” of rain from Helene, and the mountains and foothills 6” to 10,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Charlotte has a 70% chance of rain on Thursday and a 90% chance late Thursday and early Friday, the 5 p.m. Wednesday forecast showed.
Gusts are predicted to increase from 14 mph during the day on Thursday to 41 mph Thursday night and early Friday, according to the forecast. Friday has an 80% chance of rain, with gusts up to 45 mph.
“Severe flash flooding (mainly across our western areas) and strong winds leading to power outages could develop Thursday night,” according to the NWS on X.
Charlotte officials said crews are preparing for heavy rain and strong gusts knocking down trees and limbs.
Call 911 immediately if a tree or part of a tree has fallen and blocks a road, officials said.
Charlotte Motor Speedway opened its campgrounds at noon Wednesday for Helene evacuees from across the Southeast. Evacuees should check in at the Camping World Racing Resort office at 6600 Bruton Smith Blvd. in Concord.
Caldwell County also declared a state of emergency. Haywood County in the mountains urged residents to prepare for possible evacuation due to flooding from Helene.
Already, one Charlotte-area school system announced Wednesday that Friday classes are canceled due to Helene — Catawba County Schools. Friday will be an optional teacher workday.
The storm could spawn tornadoes and knock out power, according to an alert by the NWS Greer office.
Cooper also activated the National Guard and deployed swift-water teams in advance of Helene.
“Helene threatens heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides, and damaging winds to the mountains and Piedmont areas of our state,” Cooper said in a statement. “Now is the time for North Carolinians to prepare, make sure emergency kits are up-to-date and pay attention to the weather alerts in your area.”
Helene should arrive in the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia Thursday night and Friday, “bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall to the area,” according to an alert by the NWS Greer office.
Helene’s predicted path shifted west of Charlotte overnight to the extreme western Carolinas’ mountains, Tennessee, Kentucky and, eventually, Indiana and a sliver of Ohio, according to National Hurricane Center maps of the storm at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Charlotte region should still expect rains and winds from the storm, NWS forecasters said in an alert.
“The flood threat will become significant Thursday night into Friday,” according to the NWS. “This has the potential to be an extremely rare event.”
Helene is expected to bring life-threatening storm surges and hurricane-force winds to the Florida Panhandle and Florida west coasts, National Hurricane Center officials said Tuesday.
“Residents should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place,” center officials said, referring to Floridians.
Storm surge watches also were in effect Tuesday night for parts of the Florida Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Helene was about 430 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida , with 85-mph winds.
Weakening is expected after landfall on Florida’s Big Bend coast Thursday night, center officials said. “But Helene’s fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland” across the Southeast, “including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.”
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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