Severe storms, heavy rain target Southeast including areas still recovering from Helene 1 year later
Rain is expected to persist through the weekend, creating a low-end flash flood threat for several states, including western parts of North Carolina, which is still recovering from deadly and historic flooding from Hurricane Helene one year ago.
Severe storms, heavy rain target Southeast including areas devastated by Helene
There's an increased chance for isolated severe storms and a low end flash flood risk Thursday for parts of the Southeast, including Western North Carolina which is still recovering from Hurricane Helene last year.
More rounds of rain and some isolated severe thunderstorms will drench the Southeast on Thursday as a potent cold front moves east across the southern tier of the U.S.
Rain is expected to persist through the weekend, creating a low-end flash flood threat for several states, including western parts of North Carolina, which is still recovering from deadly and historic flooding from Hurricane Helene one year ago.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, this storm system has dropped more than 9 inches of rain in Arkansas and Missouri since last weekend before shifting east.
(FOX Weather)
Between 1 and 2 inches of additional rain is expected across North Carolina and southern Virginia through Saturday. Parts of Alabama and Florida, Georgia and South Carolina will all see at least an additional half-inch of rain through the weekend.
On Thursday, NOAA's Weather Prediction Center issued a Level 1 out of 4 risk of flash flooding for an area that covers East Tennessee, the western North Carolina mountains, as well as western South Carolina and Georgia, including Atlanta.
Additionally, some of Thursday's storms may be severe. An area from southern Mississippi through the Carolinas is under a Level 1 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms on Thursday, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.
These storms could bring damaging wind gusts and hail, with thunderstorms expected to fire up from the afternoon into the early evening.
HISTORIC BILTMORE VILLAGE SHOWS STRENGTH, RESILIENCE IN RECOVERY 1 YEAR AFTER HURRICANE HELENE
(FOX Weather)
The flash flood threat expands on Friday and shifts north heading into the weekend.
The FOX Forecast Center said the elevated terrain in western North Carolina will also enhance any flooding, which helped contribute to the historic damage left behind by Hurricane Helene last year.
While the rounds of rain are creating a flood threat, the rain is also desperately needed as areas east of the Mississippi River are experiencing some of the driest starts to September in years and the precipitation is bringing needed drought relief.
This image shows a crash as a result of flooding rain and thunderstorms in Maury County, Tennessee, on Sept. 23, 2025.
(Maury County Fire Department/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Tennessee and western North Carolina saw an initial round of storms earlier this week.
Thunderstorms and flooding were reported in Maury County, Tennessee, on Tuesday morning, with officials there saying emergency crews responded to numerous reports of crashes, lightning strikes and vehicles stuck in high water.
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Hurricane Helene As It Happened: Scars from Hurricane Helene remain in western North Carolina
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray returns to western North Carolina one year after the unimaginable damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The scars from the storm remain very present and many are still waiting on key relief funds but the disaster has also highlighted the strength and resilience of these mountain communities.