Tropical Storm Zeta brings strong rains and heavy winds to the Swannanoa Valley
Fallen trees, flooding and power outages possible throughout the day
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 29, 2020
Flat Creek, along Charlotte Street in Black Mountain, rises on the morning of Oct. 29, as Tropical Storm Zeta brings heavy rain and strong winds to the Swannanoa Valley. Photo by Fred McCormick
Hours after making landfall on the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane, Tropical Storm Zeta is bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the Swannanoa Valley.
The National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Warning and Flash Flood Watch for much of Western North Carolina, which is expected to experience wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour and substantial rain throughout much of the day, Oct. 29.
The Swannanoa River in Veterans Park flows over its banks, Oct. 29, as Tropical Storm Zeta moves through Western North Carolina. Fred McCormick
Some roads in the area, including the 2900 block of U.S. 70 near the Ingles Distribution Center, were covered by water early Thursday morning. The Black Mountain Police Department advised motorists to avoid the area, as swift water flowed across all lanes.
In Black Mountain, the Swannanoa River crested its banks inside Veterans Park, flooding a significant section of the athletic fields and disc golf course. The river, as of 9 a.m., had spilled into all five culverts connecting the north and south sides of the park. The water level was nearing the bottom of the bridge on the south side of Blue Ridge Road.
Flat Creek was also rising throughout the morning, covering much of the greenway with which it shares its name and carrying debris in the rushing water. The area experienced significant flooding in 2018 when Tropical Storm Alberto caused widespread flood damage.
The Swannanoa River nears the bottom of the bridge on the south side of Blue Ridge Road in Black Mountain, Oct. 29, as Tropical Storm Zeta brings heavy rain to the mountains. Fred McCormick
Buncombe County Schools canceled all classes — remote and in-person — in response to the Tropical Storm Warning. The Town of Black Mountain is advising motorists to exercise caution when traveling on roads that are under water.
The Black Mountain Police Department had received multiple phone calls regarding flooding, fallen powerlines and other storm-related issues as of 10 a.m. Local police and fire departments will continue monitoring the situation and assist with evacuations of low-lying areas, if necessary.
Water covers the road on Terry Estate Drive, creating hazardous driving conditions in Black Mountain from Tropical Storm Zeta. Fred McCormick