Asheville

[AURex 2,271]

When wifey and I were eager to get out of Florida in 2016, we had a checklist of positives and negatives. The 3 finalists on our list were Asheville (which we loved from multiple visits), Chattanooga (ditto), and Knoxville (ditto). The deciding factor for us was NC taxes, Chattanooga crime and Knoxville proximity to mountains and state parks.

But we loved Asheville and it was an easy drive of a couple of hours through the Great Smokies. Biltmore Village, with all the shops, galleries and restaurants was always a great treat for a long weekend.

It is such a horror to see the devastation there. My brother, also an Auburn grad, lived in Asheville for around 5 years. He too is in shock.

You don't think of hurricanes wreaking destruction in the foothills of mountains of western North and South Carolina. You think of hurricanes destroying seaside locations. I'm pretty sure no hurricane has EVER caused any destruction, even minor, in the Appalachians.

But here we are. In denial.

 

[Tigermike 3,792]

Are you in Asheville now?

[AUDub 11,990]

Climate change certainly exacerbates matters but Asheville is no stranger to devastating floods from Hurricanes. 

This article was published in May and updated for Helene.

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-09-26/hurricanes-dont-stop-at-the-coast-these-mountain-towns-know-how-severe-inland-flood-damage-can-be-and-theyre-watching-helene/

Edited Tuesday at 03:04 AM by AUDub

[AURex 2,271]

48 minutes ago, Tigermike said:

Are you in Asheville now?

No. In Knoxville. We had very little rain or wind here. It skirted east of us. But we have friends in Asheville. Alive, but lives destroyed.

 

[AURex 2,271]

43 minutes ago, AUDub said:

Climate change certainly exacerbates matters but Asheville is no stranger to devastating floods from Hurricanes. 

This article was published in May and updated for Helene.

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-09-26/hurricanes-dont-stop-at-the-coast-these-mountain-towns-know-how-severe-inland-flood-damage-can-be-and-theyre-watching-helene/

 

1916. Okay, I was not aware of that. More than 100 years ago. So once in 5 generations. A hundred year storm. Sorry, my knowledge doesn't go back that far. I only know back to my grandparents time.

 

 

[AUDub 11,990]

4 minutes ago, AURex said:

 

1916. Okay, I was not aware of that. More than 100 years ago. So once in 5 generations. A hundred year storm. Sorry, my knowledge doesn't go back that far. I only know back to my grandparents time.

 

 

2004 as well, when they got slammed in quick succession by multiple sizeable storms.

Climate change will likely make it more frequent, but your assumption that 

1 hour ago, AURex said:

no hurricane has EVER caused any destruction, even minor, in the Appalachians

is in error. 

[AURex 2,271]

9 minutes ago, AUDub said:

2004 as well, when they got slammed in quick succession by multiple sizeable storms.

Climate change will likely make it more frequent, but your assumption that 

is in error. 

OHHHHH  NOOOOO!!!! I made an ERROR! Horrors! I should just slit my throat and bleed all over AUF! hahahaha

Okay, Anyone else want to step up and proclaim Asheville as the epicenter of catastrophic storms and total destruction?

 

[AUDub 11,990]

8 minutes ago, AURex said:

OHHHHH  NOOOOO!!!! I made an ERROR! Horrors! I should just slit my throat and bleed all over AUF! hahahaha

Okay, Anyone else want to step up and proclaim Asheville as the epicenter of catastrophic storms and total destruction?

 

Well if you want to be both wrong and belligerent about it, feel free. No skin off my back. 

[AURex 2,271]

Okay, I was wrong. Asheville has been totally destroyed on multiple occasions. Everything lost. All those people died. Over and over and over.

Sorry I missed that.

You are da god of the history of destruction. I am obviously not. Good on you.

 

 

[AUDub 11,990]

5 minutes ago, AURex said:

Okay, I was wrong. Asheville has been totally destroyed on multiple occasions. Everything lost. All those people died. Over and over and over.

Sorry I missed that.

You are da god of the history of destruction. I am obviously not. Good on you.

Nah. I just know how to do my research. Handy skill. One you could probably afford bone up on.

[SLAG-91 1,618]

The area probably could have withstood one rain event or the other without it being catastrophic, but the rain the area got prior to Helene was unusual in its own right. Throw in a hurricane that dumped rain like Harvey did on the Houston area in 2017 and combine that much water with mountain topography and you've got what we see now. The 1-2 punch so closely timed was too much to handle.

[autigeremt 7,251]

Headed up tomorrow with a team to try and help a couple people. Starting in the foothills of SC and working our way in. It’s devastating. I’ve spent a lot of time in Western NC growing up. My stomach aches 

[I_M4_AU 9,022]

14 hours ago, SLAG-91 said:

The area probably could have withstood one rain event or the other without it being catastrophic, but the rain the area got prior to Helene was unusual in its own right. Throw in a hurricane that dumped rain like Harvey did on the Houston area in 2017 and combine that much water with mountain topography and you've got what we see now. The 1-2 punch so closely timed was too much to handle.

I live about an hour East of Boone (App State) and two hours from Asheville and we had a cold front come through the week before and it rained for two days prior.  The ground was saturated before Helene arrived.  The 1916 flood was preceded by another tropical storm which is similar to what we experienced with Helene.  One difference is at the time of the 1916 flood the CO2 levels were 120 ppm lower that they are today, which indicates catastrophic weather events happen randomly.

Prayers for the Western part of the state.

Edited Wednesday at 01:21 AM by I_M4_AU

[aubiefifty 18,395]

On 9/30/2024 at 9:40 PM, AURex said:

When wifey and I were eager to get out of Florida in 2016, we had a checklist of positives and negatives. The 3 finalists on our list were Asheville (which we loved from multiple visits), Chattanooga (ditto), and Knoxville (ditto). The deciding factor for us was NC taxes, Chattanooga crime and Knoxville proximity to mountains and state parks.

But we loved Asheville and it was an easy drive of a couple of hours through the Great Smokies. Biltmore Village, with all the shops, galleries and restaurants was always a great treat for a long weekend.

It is such a horror to see the devastation there. My brother, also an Auburn grad, lived in Asheville for around 5 years. He too is in shock.

You don't think of hurricanes wreaking destruction in the foothills of mountains of western North and South Carolina. You think of hurricanes destroying seaside locations. I'm pretty sure no hurricane has EVER caused any destruction, even minor, in the Appalachians.

But here we are. In denial.

 

my second ex lives up there close. her neighbor across the street  lives in a trailer that washed away with him in it. he made it ok. wife said there were nothing in groceries but a few canned goods and people were fighting over them.

[AUloggerhead 2,550]

On 9/30/2024 at 9:36 PM, AUDub said:

Nah. I just know how to do my research. Handy skill. One you could probably afford bone up on.

Speaking of research, I found this tibit from the NOAA site:  Inland flooding accounts for 25% of deaths associated with hurricanes/tropical storms  Data accumulated from 1963-2012.  

I grew up in Ft Walton Bch, FL and after having endured a few hurricanes on the coast (storm surge, wind damage, power outages, spinoff tornadoes) I would often be astounded at the reported damage further inland resulting from the downgraded hurricane/tropical storm.  It wasn't just in the Appalachians either -- it was in whatever region the TS dissipated.  The deluge would (& will) just overwhelm the rivers/streams and storm drainage infrastructure capacity.    

[AUDub 11,990]

6 hours ago, AUloggerhead said:

Speaking of research, I found this tibit from the NOAA site:  Inland flooding accounts for 25% of deaths associated with hurricanes/tropical storms  Data accumulated from 1963-2012.  

I grew up in Ft Walton Bch, FL and after having endured a few hurricanes on the coast (storm surge, wind damage, power outages, spinoff tornadoes) I would often be astounded at the reported damage further inland resulting from the downgraded hurricane/tropical storm.  It wasn't just in the Appalachians either -- it was in whatever region the TS dissipated.  The deluge would (& will) just overwhelm the rivers/streams and storm drainage infrastructure capacity.    

Right. Anyone who lives down here knows that they don’t just smash the coast up. Plenty of major flood events and tornadoes have been spawned by hurricanes well inland. 

[I_M4_AU 9,022]

Tough to look at, her world is gone and she doesn’t know what the future may hold;

 

 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,796]

1 hour ago, I_M4_AU said:

Tough to look at, her world is gone and she doesn’t know what the future may hold;

 

 

That is AI. 

[autigeremt 7,251]

I’m not going to add to the thousands of pics and videos but it’s heartbreaking. Surreal 

[I_M4_AU 9,022]

3 hours ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

That is AI. 

Yep, they added the community note after I posted 

[I_M4_AU 9,022]

6 hours ago, autigeremt said:

I’m not going to add to the thousands of pics and videos but it’s heartbreaking. Surreal 

Thanks for showing up and helping.  I know it is appreciated.