September 26, 2024:
Great Smoky Mountains New Release- Preparation for tropical storm impacts
The National Park Service continues to prepare for the expected high wind and heavy rain from Hurricane Helene Thursday night into Friday. Visitors should consider rescheduling this week’s travel plans for their own safety and to reduce the risk on emergency services.
The park is implementing the following closures:
Newfound Gap Road/US Highway 441 will close today at 2 p.m.
Sugarlands, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove visitor centers will close today at 3 p.m. through at least Saturday morning, weather and road conditions permitting.
In North Carolina, Cataloochee Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road), Balsam Mountain Campground and Cataloochee Campground are closed.
In Tennessee, Rich Mountain Road, Greenbrier Road, Upper Tremont Road and Sparks Lane are closed.
Parson Branch Road remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts.
Additional updates will be shared on the park website as available. https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Risks of flooding, high winds, downed trees, landslides and power outages are highest Thursday night into Friday. Peak winds are predicted early-morning Friday. Sustained winds of up to 40 mph are likely with gusts as high as 80 mph. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the North Carolina-side of the park for tonight into Friday. A high-wind warning was issued for the Tennessee-side of the park beginning Thursday at 8 p.m. through Friday at 8 p.m.
Some park locations have already received 4-5 inches of rainfall since Wednesday ahead of the tropical storm event. Through Friday, another 4-5 inches is predicted on the Tennessee-side and 6-9 inches on the North Carolina-side of the park. A flood watch is expanded to all of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
