A storm system moving through the southeast is expected to dump several inches of rain in western North Carolina late Sunday night and continue through part of the week.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch from Monday morning through Tuesday morning for many counties in the area.
Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible, according to the agency.
While the flooding should be taken seriously, the agency said the conditions will not be as severe as they were during Hurricane Helene. Many of the counties under a flood watch are ones that were affected by flooding during the hurricane , including Transylvania, Henderson and Yancey, among others.
“This will not be anywhere near the magnitude of flooding that occurred during Helene,” the agency wrote in a forecast Sunday afternoon.
“A Flood Watch for flash flooding means there is a potential for rapid onset flooding based on current forecasts,” the agency wrote. “Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation and may impact areas that do not typically flood.”
“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.”
