News and Weather Briefing for Wednesday, September 25, 2024
National News
Here is the news and weather briefing for Macon County.
GENERAL OUTLOOK
A moist and cooler airmass will remain in place across the forecast area through mid-week. Tropical Cyclone Helene is forecast to make landfall in the Florida panhandle late Thursday, with the remnant circulation moving quickly north and bringing wind and heavy rainfall impacts to our area Thursday night into Friday. Calmer weather over the weekend with high temperatures a little cooler than normal.
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Local Weather
General Forecast Through Friday Night
Franklin Area
Today
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers after 11am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Areas of fog before 9am. Highs in the mid 70s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog. Lows in the low-to-mid 60s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Areas of fog before 9am. Highs near 70. Light east wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday Night
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Lows in the mid 60s. Winds out of the east 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.
Friday
Showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers after 3pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the low-to-mid 70s. Windy. Chance of rain is 80%.
Friday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s.
Highlands Plateau
Today
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers after 11am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Areas of fog before 3pm, then patchy fog after 4pm. Highs in the mid 60s. Light winds out of the south. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then showers between 10pm and 3am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Areas of fog. Lows around 60. Winds out of the southeast around 5 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Thursday
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Areas of fog before 9am. Highs in the mid 60s. Winds out of the east 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Thursday Night
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Lows around 60. Winds out of the east 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of rain is 100%.
Friday
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the mid 60s. Windy. Chance of rain is 80%.
Friday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 50s.
Otto and South Central Macon County
Today
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers after 11am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Areas of fog before 10am. Highs in the mid 70s. Light winds out of the south. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog. Lows in the lower 60s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Thursday
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Areas of fog before 9am. Highs near 70. Winds out of the east 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday Night
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Lows in the low-to-mid 60s. Winds out of the east 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.
Friday
Showers before 1pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1pm and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the lower 70s. Windy. Chance of rain is 80%.
Friday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s.
Nantahala Area
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Hazards
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON…
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
…FLOOD WATCH…
* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.
* WHERE…Portions of northeast Georgia, including the following area, Rabun, western North Carolina, including the following areas, Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Caldwell Mountains, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Polk Mountains, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey, and upstate South Carolina, including the following areas, Greenville Mountains, Oconee Mountains and Pickens Mountains.
* WHEN…From Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in significant and damaging flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Areas that are not typically impacted by floodwaters may flood.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall are expected due to the interaction of tropical moisture along a stationary front, followed by the passage of Tropical Storm Helene. Storm-total rainfall of 8-12 inches is expected along the entire length of the Blue Ridge Escarpment with widespread 5-8 inches expected across the remainder of the mountains as well as the Piedmont. This has the potential to be an extremely rare event with significant and damaging flash-flooding along numerous streams. – http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Flood Watch for flash flooding means there is a potential for rapid onset flooding based on current forecasts. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation and may impact areas that do not typically flood. Please monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action quickly should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
Rainfall of more than five inches in similar storms has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides. If you live on a mountainside or in a cove at the base of a mountain, especially near a stream, be ready to leave in advance of the storm or as quickly as possible should rising water, moving earth, or rocks threaten. Consider postponing travel along mountain roads during periods of heavy rainfall.
Low-lying areas adjacent to streams, including campgrounds, are especially vulnerable to flooding. If you live or are vacationing next to a stream, please have a plan in place to seek higher ground once heavy rainfall develops. Flash floods can occur quickly and overwhelm adjacent low-lying areas with little warning. Once the stream starts to rise, you may only have minutes to evacuate. Flash floods can cause catastrophic damage and be powerful enough to sweep away campers, vehicles, and mobile homes. Consider temporarily relocating away from streams until the heavy rainfall threat passes.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will move east across the area early this morning. A few of these storms could become severe and produce damaging wind gusts and hail. Brief, heavy rainfall can occur with any storm.
Gusty winds are also expected as a tropical system impacts the area Wednesday through Friday.
Tropical Update
[Tuesday] Helene Expected to Impact Florida as a Significant Hurricane
Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Wed Sep 25 2024
For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:
Active Systems:
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Helene, located over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.
1. Eastern and Central Tropical Atlantic:
A broad low pressure system associated with a tropical wave located west of the Cabo Verde Islands continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form in a few days while it moves westward to west-northwestward across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic.
* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…50 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…80 percent.
2. Central Subtropical Atlantic:
A non-tropical area of low pressure is currently located several hundred miles to the northeast of Bermuda. Earlier satellite-wind data indicated the system was producing winds up to storm-force, and environmental conditions could support some subtropical or tropical development over the next several days as the system moves generally eastward, remaining over the open waters of central Subtropical Atlantic. Additional information on this system, including storm warnings, can be found in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service.
* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent.
Pollen
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (0.7 out of 12) today with Ragweed, Chenopods, and Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (0.7 out of 12.0).
Record Weather Events for September 25th
Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)
Highest Temperature 91°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2016
Lowest Temperature 31°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1983
Greatest Rainfall 2.78 inches in Highlands in 2020
Greatest Snowfall (no measurable snowfall has been recorded on this date since records started being kept in 1872)
Weather Extremes for Macon County for the month of September Data available from 1872
Highest Temperature 98°F in Franklin on 09-04-1975
Lowest Temperature 27°F in Franklin on 09-30-1967
Greatest Rainfall 11.87 inches in Highlands on09-29-1964
Greatest Snowfall snowfall has not been recorded during August in Macon County)
Macon Calendar
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Published at 5:00am on Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Author: Bobby Coggins
Resources used to compile the information in this article include, but are not limited to the following websites or books: MaconMedia.com, youtube.com, weather.gov, airnow.gov, wikipedia.com, onthisday.com, ncdcr.gov, ncsu.edu, utah.edu, https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/, wolfram.com, biorxiv.org, aps.org, nejm.org, plos.org, cell.com, researchsquare.com, cureus.com, spc.noaa.gov, nhc.noaa.gov, ncdenr.org, medrxiv.org, archive.org, ncpedia.org, nasa.gov, https://ww2days.com, nih.gov, carolinapublicpress.org, microbe.tv, smokymountainnews.com, psypost.org, blogspot.com, pollen.com, franklinnc.com, maconnc.org, spaceweather.com, solarham.com, loc.gov, ncleg.net, senate.gov, house.gov, whitehouse.gov, drudgereport.com, politico.com, realclearpolitics.com, ushmm.org, This Day in North Carolina History, World War II Day By Day, The Holocaust Encyclopedia, The Timetables of History, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The World History and Book of Facts (multiple years), On This Day In History: Over 4,000 facts, The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space, This Day in North Carolina History, The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future, Spaceflight, 2nd Edition: The Complete Story from Sputnik to Curiousity, The Story of Civilization (11 volumes), The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, American History, Volume 1: 1492-1877, American History, Volume 2: 1877 - Present, A Complete Chronolgy of the Second World War. Weather and Almanac data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, Ian Webster's Github, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, The National Weather Service, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and the Weather Prediction Center.