Flooding and downed trees cause road closures in WNC off Helene

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — As Hurricane Helene passed through the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday morning, another system brought heavy rains to western North Carolina from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the weather caused devastating damage to roads as many roads were closed due to flooding and downed trees.

News 13 crew members reported severe delays along Interstate 26 East Thursday morning due to stranded vehicles and water backup on the roadway. According to DriveNC.gov, as of 9 a.m. Thursday, there were seven major road closures in WNC and 71 secondary road closures due to the flooding.

Prior to Helene's arrival, flooding and power outages were reported in parts of the mountains

According to DriveNC.gov, as of 9 a.m. Thursday, the following roads were closed due to flooding:

Buncombe County

• I-26 E in Buncombe County at Mile Marker 34, south of Asheville, near Brevard Road
• NC-191 (Brevard Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, in Arden, near E. Frederick Law Olmsted Way
• SR-3075 (West Chapel Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, in Asheville, near Hendersonville Road
• SR-3556 (Amboy Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, in Asheville, near Meadow Road
• Baldwin Road in both directions in Buncombe County, near Arden, near Christ School Road
• SR-3116 (Mills Gap Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, near Arden, near Lower Christ School Road
• NC-81 (Swannanoa River Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, in Asheville, near Azalea Road
• SR-2788 (Crooked Creek Road) both directions in Buncombe County, in Black Mountain, near NC-9
• NC-81 (Swannanoa River Road) Both directions in Buncombe County, in Asheville, near South Tunnel Road

Henderson County

• US-64 (Brevard Road) in both directions, near SR-9999 (Battle Creek Road)
• SR-1006 (Howard Gap Road) both directions in Henderson County, in Fletcher, near Jackson Road
• East Caswell Street, both directions in Henderson County, in Hendersonville, near South King Street
• SR-1757 (New Hope Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Barker Heights, near Duncan Road
• SR-1793 (Tracy Grove Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Hendersonville, near Dana Road
• SR-1779 (Airport Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Flat Rock, near College Drive
• SR-1314 (Banner Farm Road) Both directions in Henderson County, in Etowah, near Brevard Road
• SR-1314 (Banner Farm Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Mills River, near Warlick Road
• SR-1528 (Brookside Camp Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Mountain Home, near Soutbrook Road
• SR-1508 (Balfour Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Balfour, near Capps Road
• SR-1539 (Jackson Road) both directions in Henderson County, near Fletcher, near Blue Ridge Drive
• SR-1171 (Hebron Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Laurel Park, near Ralphs Rock Ridge Rd
• SR-1006 (Howard Gap Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Hendersonville, near Nix Road
• SR-1106 (Green River Road) Both directions in Henderson County, south of Flat Rock, near Bobs Creek Road
• SR-1352 (Butler Bridge Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Fletcher, near Boylston Highway
• SR-1210 (Big Willow Road) Both directions in Henderson County, southwest of Hendersonville, near River Road
• SR-1513 (Nix Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Hendersonville, near Clear Creekside Drive
• SR-1126 (Berea Church Road) Both directions in Henderson County, near Flat Rock, near Walnut Cove Road
• SR-1582 (Lancaster Road) Both directions in Henderson County, east of Hendersonville, near Fruitland Road
• NC-225 Both directions in Henderson County, near Hendersonville, near US-176
• SR-1164 (Erkwood Drive) both directions in Henderson County, in Hendersonville, near Kanuga Road

Transylvania District

• SR-1110 (Island Ford Rd), near Walnut Hollow. Close to Brevard/both directions
• SR-1127 (Green Rd) both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Hannah Ford
• SR-1504 (Old Hendersonville Hwy) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Everett Rd
• SR-1535 (Merrill Lane) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Cascade Lake Rd
• SR-1518 (Davidson River Rd) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Old Hendersonville Hwy
• SR-1534 (Hart Rd) both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Everett Rd
• SR-1536 (Cascade Lake Rd) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Crab Creek Rd
• SR-1207 (Barclay Rd) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Greenville Hwy
• SR-1540 (Wilson Road) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Old Hendersonville Hwy
• SR-1109 (Hannah Ford) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Calvert Rd
• SR-1110 (Island Ford Rd) Both directions in Transylvania County, near Brevard, near Walnut Hollow

McDowell County

• SR-1234 (Oakdale Rd) Both directions in McDowell County, in Old Fort, near Oakdale Rd
• SR-1401 (Simmons Rd) Both directions in McDowell County, in Old Fort, near Simmons Rd
• SR-1558 (old US 221 S) Both directions in McDowell County, north of Woodlawn, near US 221 N
• SR-1240 (Parker) Both directions in McDowell County, in Old Fort, near Parker Padgett Rd
• SR-1161 (Lytle Mtn Rd) Both directions in McDowell County, east of Old Fort, near Greenlee
• SR-1559 (Good Rd) Both directions in McDowell County, in Woodlawn, near Good Rd
• SR-1234 (Oakdale Rd) Both directions in McDowell County, in Old Fort, near Oakdale Rd

Mitchell County

• SR-1305 (Whitson Branch Rd) Both directions in Mitchell County, west of Bakersville, near Whitson Branch Rd
• SR-1167 (Wing Rd) Both directions in Mitchell County, northwest of Spruce Pine, near Orchard Rd
• SR-1121 (Altapass Hwy) Both directions in Mitchell County, southeast of Spruce Pine, near Tempie Mountain Road
• NC-226 (NC 226 – Crimson Laurel Way) Both directions in Mitchell County, in Bakersville, near South Mitchell Ave
• SR-1304 (Huntdale Rd) Both directions in Mitchell County, west of Bakersville, near NC-197
• SR-1211 (Cane Creek Rd) both directions in Mitchell County, in Bakersville, near Ted Byrd Rd

Polk County

• Sergeant. W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway W in Polk County at mile marker 164, east of Columbus, near NC-9

Yancey County

• SR-1311 (Lower Doe Bag Rd) Both directions in Yancey County, near Burnsville, near Upper Doe Bag Rd
• SR-1314 (Roses Branch Rd) both directions in Yancey County, near Burnsville, near Double Island Rd
• SR-1338 (Toe River Rd) Both directions in Yancey County, north of Burnsville, near Jacks Creek Rd
• SR-1307 (Wyatt Town Rd) Both directions in Yancey County, near Burnsville, near US-19E

For the latest updates to the list of road closures, please visit DriveNC.gov. News 13 will provide updates on this story throughout the day.