Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Keep your umbrella handy. This week, Swain County and WNC saw a break in the heat of summer and prolonged rain that began Sunday. Tuesday saw the brunt of the rain as Tropical Storm Fred made its way through the region. Unlike other areas of WNC that saw widespread flooding, Swain County was spared most of the damage.
“We did have a few slides in the gorge; DOT is working on those now,” said Misty Tabor, Swain County 911 manager on Wednesday morning.
In addition to the slides in the Nantahala Gorge, some Duke Energy customers lost power for a but the county was spared flood damage. Even residents at Bear Hunter Campground, located right on the Tuckasegee River, were advised to keep a watch on the flood waters but wasn’t required to move to higher ground, according to Tabor.
National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning through Wednesday morning for the area ahead of the rain. The Tuckasegee River in Bryson City reached a peak of 10.2 feet near midnight on Tuesday but then quickly receded back down below flood levels as the storms had passed, according to the National Weather Service.
In advance of the heavy rain, both Cherokee Central Schools and Jackson County Schools dismissed students at noon on Tuesday but Swain County Schools stuck to a regular schedule.
Duke Energy reported Monday it would be opening spillway gates at each of its reservoirs upstream due to significant rainfall. The company provides updates online at duke-energy.com/lakes.
Scattered thunderstorms are forecast through the weekend with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-upper 60s.