Strong Winds, Abnormally Low Temperatures Could Hinder Helene Cleanup In Asheville

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Asheville was among the cities hit hardest by Hurricane Helene, suffering widespread flooding, water and power outages, and at least 40 storm-related deaths in surrounding Buncombe County as of Monday. While cleanup efforts are just getting underway, high winds and abnormally low temperatures threaten to stymie the recovery process.

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On Monday morning, the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for Buncombe and several neighboring counties, warning of 10 to 20 mile-per-hour winds with gusts up to 40 miles per hour. According to the NWS, “winds of this magnitude may blow down some trees or limbs that were damaged by Helene back in late September, putting recovery crews at risk. Scattered power outages may occur.”

Asheville is also forecast to be impacted by a cold front spreading across the central and eastern United States, further complicating cleanup efforts. According to data from the National Digital Forecast Database, temperatures in Buncombe County will drop to a low of 36.9°F between October 15 and 17 — 5.6°F below the average low temperature normal for October from 1901 to 2000. The projected cold snap is one of the largest forecast temperature anomalies of any major city. Nationwide, there are currently 525 counties under either freeze warning, freeze watch, winter storm warning, or wind advisory alerts from the National Weather Service, representing 6.5% of the U.S. population.