Tab Combs @DrTCombs@transportation.social

Henderson County (south of #Asheville) has essentially issued a #ShelterInPlace order, declaring **all roads closed **across the entire county.

(photo copied from NC's Weather Authority; link above)

#helene #wnc #weather

The worst has not yet arrived in the southern Appalachians. There is now widespread flooding (including lifethreatening flash flooding with potential for landslides) along all rivers and tributaries (seriously all of them) on the eastern slopes and foothills. Wind gusts of 90mph on Mount Mitchell. Widespread power and internet outages

And this is just the beginning

If you're not on FB, you can get information--potentially lifesaving--here: https://www.ncwxauthority.com/?

#Helene #WNC #NorthCarolina

Just about all of #NorthCarolina is under a #tornado watch now, until at least early afternoon.

If tornadoes were tacos, this would mean we're not eating tacos yet, but we have all the ingredients, chopped, laid out, and ready to assemble.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/weather/tornado-taco-warning-watch-dfw/287-36461302-b458-46e2-a871-d5d26b92d572

folks, please. heed the warnings and GO. NOW.

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Buncombe County in western North Carolina...
* Until 145 PM EDT.
* At 757 AM EDT, emergency management reported widespread
catastrophic flooding resulting in damage to infrastructure and
inundation of countless homes and businesses. Emergency managers
request that those in low-lying areas seek higher ground
immediately. Potential for life-threatening landslides is greatly
increased.

If you live anywhere near a river, creek, or even a ditch in #AshevilleNC, **get to higher ground now. **

Flash flooding is happening now all along the Swannanoa River and its tributaries. Worse than anything in recent memory. **GO NOW.**

NWS: **This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Buncombe County. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!**

#helene #evacuation #flashflood #wnc #nws

If you have pets, make sure they are up to date on all their vaccinations, and put a paper copy of their shot record in your #emergency bug-out bag. If you have to #evacuate, your chances of finding shelter that will accept you and your pets is much better if you have this information!!!

"...Due to the high risk, a MANDATORY EVACUATION of the Swannanoa River Valley area is in place. All residents within the designated area downstream of the reservoir are required to move to higher ground. If you need assistance to evacuate, please call 911."

#evacuation #HurricaneHelene #WNC

#Helene #Asheville PD: **Mandatory evacuation of the Swannanoa River Valley area is in place**

**If you are in the river valley anywhere between Asheville and Black Mountain, and especially downstream of the North Fork Reservoir, leave now. **

"Due to the catastrophic rain in the area, the North Fork Reservoir auxiliary spillway has been activated. The dam is performing as designed, and the volume of water flowing downstream will increase as the storm intensifies...."

I'm utterly terrified for this beautiful, beloved region.

Stay safe, my friends. Stay safe.

And as bad as it is when a hurricane hits the coast (and #Helene is going to wallop the hell out of the Florida panhandle), it's many times worse in the mountains. Creeks become raging rivers in the blink of an eye. Land slips down mountains, burying entire communities. Evacuation routes get blocked. Supply lines, too--and sometimes for weeks. Communication lines go from spotty to nonexistent.

And many, many mountain folk have little to no safety net outside their immediate community.

The flood gates on Lake Lure were opened *last night*.
The National Weather Service is literally begging people to take note, issuing warnings with severity that rival those in the lead up to Katrina.

This is a *thousand *year flooding event, at least. It's going to be catastrophic.

The #SouthernAppalachians are my happy place, the place that keeps calling me back, the place my people have been for generations.

I cannot even fathom how bad this is going to be.

Y'all, in case you aren't following what's happening in the southern Appalachians right now, the area is about to be devastated by floods, hurricane force winds, and landslides. A huge band of storms has just passed through, and Hurricane Helene is expected to arrive sometime tomorrow. Some areas will get 18 inches of rain or more.

Biltmore Village and parts of Asheville are under water.
A tornado touched down in Blowing Rock.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed.

#Helene #SouthernAppalachians 🧵

People, it flashes and scrolls. Just like a billboard. Except it's a truck.

whyyyyyyy?

For anyone who still doesn't understand just how little safety oversight we have over motor vehicles in the US, I present to you Exhibit A: the Variable Messaging Digital Billboard Box Truck.

#CarBrain #VisionZero #PleaseTakeOurKeys

'this is more a comment than a question' guy has arrived

Hanging out at #bikewalknc, one eye on
@annazivarts excellent presentation about "When Driving Is Not An Option," the other eye on my 10 year old's GPS tracker as she makes her way home from school on public roads that do little to accommodate anyone who can't drive.

Note: The survey is anonymous and all questions are optional. It's not affiliated with CHCCS or any public school district. This is a UNC-based effort to document and evaluate the impacts of temporary changes in trasnportation services in a sample of NC public school districts.