After Hurricane Ida tore a path of destruction through Louisiana and left much of the state without power, the tropical depression is making its way across the United States and through this region as it heads to the Northeast.
Today, Tuesday, Aug. 31, Swain County is seeing rain throughout the day and overnight with the potential for flash flooding. The National Weather Service has the area under a wind advisory from 2 p.m. Tuesday-8 a.m. Wednesday with south winds of 10-20 miles per hour and gusts up to 45 miles per hour. The region is also under a flash flood watch until 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Widespread showers and a few thunderstorms are forecast with 1-3 inches across the region and up to 3-6 inches in some areas. The heavy rain could also increase risk of landslides.
"Following the path of Ida across the eastern United States will be a swath of heavier rain, likely to produce a total of 4-8 inches of rain," warned AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
Most of Swain County can anticipate 1-2 inches of rain but the risk of flooding comes with higher rain levels anticipated in the headwaters in both the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Deep Creek and Oconalfutee and in southern Jackson County and the Tuckasegee River headwaters, where rain could be closer to 5 inches.
“The River Forecast Center is telling us it will not get to the level it did with Tropical Storm Fred,” shared Swain County Emergency Management Director David Breedlove. During that storm a couple of weeks ago, the Tuckasegee rose to 10 feet, or flood level.
Breedlove said his office is monitoring two weather service radars and is in contact with the Regional Coordination Center for Emergency Services in Hickory, as well as with regional mutual aid partners ready to respond if the need arises.
“They are ready to assist if the need arises, which is typical of any kind of rain event,” said Breedlove.
According to the radar, heavy rainfall is anticipated around 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. for Swain County but residents near waterways should keep a watchful eye of the risk, which will be primarily overnight.
Wind gusts of tropical storm strength, which is 39 mph or greater, may extend as far inland as southwestern Tennessee through Tuesday. However, the most widespread impact from Ida is expected to be the heavy, tropical rainfall associated with the storm, according to Accuweather.
On Wednesday, severe thunderstorms, including the risk of tornadoes, is expected to extend from the Carolina coast, northward to Virginia and Maryland and perhaps Delaware and southern New Jersey.
Behind Ida, high pressure is forecast to move into the eastern U.S. later on Thursday, bringing drier conditions for those recovering from the hurricane's impacts.
Neighboring Haywood County already issued a warning for those areas that were had widespread flooding and damage from Tropical Storm Fred to evacuate ahead of today’s rain and the county dismissed its schools early.
While Swain County was spared widespread damage during the last storm, the heavy rainfall did cause multiple landslides in the Nantahala Gorge along US 74/19 that blocked the roadway and took N.C. Department of Transportation a little over a day to clear. Breedlove said his office is in contact with Duke Energy twice a day in regard to lake water levels and dam releases for the Nantahala River. Plus, he said, he spoke with a hydrologist with the state today who estimated the risk of landslides there increases if it sees 2-3 inches of rain.
“At that point, we would notify DOT if we anticipate there to be any issues,” he said.