Roanoke, VA – A Weather Authority Alert Day has been issued for Friday, September 27th in preparation for the arrival of Helene. Significant flash flooding is the biggest risk with this storm, but there is also a risk of damaging winds and a few tornadoes. Due to these risks, we have issued a WAAD to provide ample preparation time for this storm.
Helene is expected to become a major hurricane by Thursday evening, with winds in excess of 120 MPH likely at landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida. Numerous tropical storm and hurricane alerts have been issued for Florida, with many counties issuing mandatory evacuation orders.
For our region, we will begin to see impacts Thursday night. Winds will begin to slightly increase in the evening hours, with the moderate rainfall arriving overnight between midnight and sunrise on Friday. Rounds of tropical rain from Helene’s outer bands will continue throughout the day Friday, with the greatest totals being in the southern Blue Ridge.
However, due to the rainfall we have experienced over the last few days, in addition to the rain brought by Helene, flash flooding will be the number one concern. Rainfall totals from 8 AM Thursday to 8 PM Friday could easily exceed 6″, with widespread totals of 2-4″ expected across the region. Urban areas, areas with poor drainage, roads, and rivers/streams/creeks run the greatest risk of experiencing flooding. Any river flooding we see will continue into Saturday to account for slowly rising water levels.
With the eastern bands of Helene expected to impact our area, there runs a risk for severe weather. It is entirely possible (if not likely) that a few storm cells could spin up some tornadoes, with the greatest likelihood for tornadoes east of the Blue Ridge. Winds will remain steady between 15 to 25 MPH, with gusts potentially exceeding 40 MPH. The combination of significant rainfall and these winds could topple a few trees and potentially cause power outages. Mudslides are also likely in mountainous areas where thin layers of soil and steep terrain would lead to rapid erosion.
There are a few different steps you can take to prepare for this storm.
- have an emergency action plan
- ensure you have properly working flashlights with batteries
- charge electronic devices in advance
- stay off the roads as much as possible
- do not drive through any flooded roadways, as water could be much deeper than it looks.
- secure any loose outdoor objects
- have a way to receive alerts
As always, we will continue to keep you updated as this situation unfolds on air, online, or on our app.