Conditions and flooding are worsening in western North Carolina

The National Weather Service has notified the western North Carolina area that Tropical Storm Helene has now passed through most of the area, but serious safety concerns and damaging impacts from the storm are not over.

With thousands of power outages across WNC, major road closures and record river flooding expected, here's what we know about Helene's diverse impacts on the area – and where it's headed next.

Path of Tropical Storm Helene

The NWS told the WNC area at 11:21 a.m. that Helene had passed most of the area, but there were still significant impacts including severe flooding. The storm is now about 80 miles west-southwest of Asheville, centered over the Smoky Mountains and moving north at 32 miles per hour.