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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1117 AM EDT FRI SEP 14 2018

...INCREASED THREAT OF LANDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS THIS WEEKEND

... FLORENCE WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN TO THE WESTERN CAROLINAS SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ALONG CREEKS AND STREAMS.

 RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF EIGHT TO TWELVE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS TO 15 INCHES ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT FROM HENDERSON AND POLK COUNTIES NORTHWARD INTO AVERY AND CALDWELL COUNTIES, NORTH CAROLINA. ISOLATED LANDSLIDES ARE LIKELY WITH RAINFALL TOTALS OF SIX TO TEN INCHES, WITH GREATER COVERAGE IF RAINFALL TOTALS EXCEED THAT LEVEL. AREAS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENT LANDSLIDE ACTIVITY MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ADDITIONAL LANDSLIDES.

 LANDSLIDES, INCLUDING FAST-MOVING DEBRIS FLOWS CONSISTING OF WATER, MUD, FALLING ROCKS, TREES, AND OTHER LARGE DEBRIS, ARE MOST LIKELY WITHIN SMALL VALLEYS THAT DRAIN STEEP SLOPES. LANDSLIDES ARE POWERFUL AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY, CAPABLE OF WASHING OUT ROADS, BRIDGES, AND HOMES. PEOPLE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO LANDSLIDES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE DANGER AND BE PREPARED TO ACT.

 HERE ARE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS TO CONSIDER BOTH AHEAD OF THE STORM AND WHEN THE HEAVY RAIN BEGINS.

 BEFORE THE STORM:

1. 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. IDENTIFY A STURDY SHELTER ON HIGHER GROUND SUCH AS A WELL-BUILT HOME, CHURCH OR SCHOOL.

 2. STAY ALERT. MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR POSSIBLE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS.

 DURING THE STORM:

 1. AVOID DRIVING NEAR STEEP SLOPES OR CROSSING STREAM VALLEYS, PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. NEVER TRY TO DRIVE ACROSS A FLOODED ROAD. POTENTIAL HAZARDS TO DRIVERS INCLUDE WASHED-OUT ROADS, BRIDGES, AND FALLING OR FLOWING LARGE DEBRIS. TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN!

 2. IMMEDIATELY MOVE AWAY FROM STEEP SLOPES AND SMALL STREAMS IN STEEP VALLEYS. SEEK REFUGE ON HIGHER GROUND AWAY FROM STREAMS, PREFERABLY IN A STURDY SHELTER.

 3. STAY ALERT. MANY LANDSLIDE FATALITIES OCCUR WHEN PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING. BE AWARE THAT SHORT INTENSE BURSTS OF RAINFALL ARE MOST LIKELY TO CAUSE LANDSLIDES.

 4. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT.

 MORE INFORMATION ON SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS FOR POTENTIAL LANDSLIDES CAN BE FOUND AT:LANDSLIDES.USGS.GOV/LEARN/PREPARE.PHP FOR GENERAL FLOOD SAFETY AND PREPARATION ADVICE, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.READY.GOV/FLOODS ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION AND UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP