WNC And Parts Of Upstate Wait For Water To Recede To Assess Damage

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**Wednesday morning**
The rain has stopped in Western North Carolina and around the Upstate. News Channel 7 Meteorologist Dan Bickford says we’re sitting between a front well to our west and a push of moisture off of the Atlantic…pretty similar to where we ended up on Tuesday weather-wise. This means a mix of clouds and sun for us, but there will be enough moisture around to keep a chance for hit-and-miss showers and thunderstorms around, with the mountains having a little better chance than the Upstate.

Farmers are waiting for the land to dry out after near record rains soaked the mountains over the past four days according to our coverage partners at the Hendersonville Times News. Apple farmers appear to have survived the deluge, but heavy rainfall has wiped out the remainder of the tomato crop and is threatening the pumpkin harvest. To read the complete story click here

**Tuesday 11:12am Update**

Transylvania County Operations Manager David McNeill says no mandatory evacuations have been ordered, but they did help voluntary evacuations from residents in Turkey Pen area, Cemetery Road in Pisgah Forest, Rosman area.

McNeill says the major concern now is the Blantyre area at the French Broad River. The river is not expected to crest for awhile we're told.

He is also telling residents to not "drive through barricades. They are there for a reason.” McNeill says some people tried to go around the barricades, but law enforcement was able to stop it.

Henderson County and Oconee County report no evacuations and no injuries.

**Tuesday 10:32am Update**

Many roads across the Carolinas remain closed Tuesday because of heavy rain that has led to flooding.

Oconee County Emergency Management reported Camp Road, Lester Lane, McGee Road, Crystal Lake Road, Lands Bridge Road, Whitewater Lake Road, Busch Creek Road, North Radio Station Road, keys Road and Cheohee Valley Road are all closed as of 6:00am Tuesday.

News Channel 7 caught video of Butler Bridge Road in Hendersonville, NC that was closed because of the rain and flooding with telephone poles that were under water.

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Duke Energy shows many lake levels in the Upstate are up, as you would expect, from the rain. Lake Jocassee is up by 6.2 inches since September 19.

**Tuesday 9:11am Update**

Storm Team 7 says the threat for widespread, heavy rain has decreased quite a bit, but there’s still a good chance for the development of scattered showers and thunderstorms in the area today

Meteorologist Dan Bickford says those showers and thunderstorms would be most numerous Tuesday afternoon and early evening.

The National Weather Service reports some main stem rivers will continue to experience flooding for the next few days.

If you are located or have interests along the French Broad River you should remain aware of river forecasts as a flood wave moves slowly downstream from Blantyre to Asheville and toward Marshall.

Duke Energy reported 238 power outages in Macon County, NC and 175 in Oconee County at 9:00am.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced these road closings Tuesday morning because of high water:

Henderson County, North West of Hendersonville
SR-1331 (Banner Farm Rd), Both Directions
Near SR-1329 (Warlick Rd)

Henderson County, North West of Hendersonville
SR-1345 (North Mills River Road), Both Directions
Near SR-1348 (Pennsylvania Rd)

Transylvania County, Near Brevard
SR-1537 (Becky Mtn), Both Directions

Transylvania County, Near Brevard
SR-1527 (Talley Rd), Both Directions

Transylvania County, Near Rosman
SR-1309 (Silverstein Road), Both Directions

Henderson County, North West of Hendersonville
SR-1329 (Warlick Rd), Both Directions
Near SR-1325 (Turnpike Rd)

Henderson County, North West of Hendersonville
SR-1338 (South Mills Riv), Both Directions
Near SR-1341 (Whitaker Lane)

Henderson County, West of Hendersonville
SR-1202 (Blanytyre Road), Both Directions
Near SR-1191 (Talley Road)

As of 11 pm, Transylvania Emergency Dispatch reported that 19 roads were closed and were urging residents in downtown Rosman and certain portions of the Pisgah National Forest to evacuate. In one instance, a report of a woman had to swim for safety after her car became submerged in a roadway.

Officials tell News Channel 7 that they had opened up the Transylvania County Recreational Center Shelter on Ecusta Road to anyone seeking shelter from the rain.

Transylvania County School Superintendent Jeff McDerris said that schools would be operating on a two hour delay.

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