UPDATED - Friday, Feb. 7 weather conditions here :Which roads are closed in WNC? Following heavy rain, ice and strong winds may be ahead

ASHEVILLE - As 24-hour rainfall totals reached 4-6 inches by midafternoon Feb. 6 in some mountain counties, low-lying roads were flooded, and the French Broad River was expected to surpass flood stage by the morning of Feb. 7.

"From Blantyre on the Transylvania/Henderson County border, to Fletcher and all through Asheville and up into Hot Springs and Madison County, we do expect the French Broad to flood," said Andrew Kimball, a National Weather Service meteorologist. "At the Asheville gauge, it will hit minor flood stage Friday morning (Feb. 7), around 7 o'clock."

The river will rise about 15 feet, and the flood warning for the French Broad will remain in effect through late in the evening.

Flooded, closed roads: Buncombe

As of 4 p.m., there were three roads closed in the city of Asheville, according to spokeswoman Polly McDaniel.

Azalea Road near Gashes Farm Road (John B. Lewis Soccer Complex)

Iris Street at London Road

Riverside at the train trestle

More road closures are identified on the Buncombe County website, last updated at 1:20 p.m.

Swannanoa River Road at the Antique Tobacco Barn

Riverside Drive from Craven Street to the I-240 Ramp at Southern States

Lower Flat Creek Road at Edna Roberts Road

Lower Shepards Branch at Lower Flat Creek Road

Lower Shepards Branch at Martin Ford Road

43 West Chapel Road

Quinn Drive at Alexander Road (Bridge washed out)

Carrier Park, Amboy Riverfront Park and French Broad River Park are also closed, according to the city website.

UPDATED - Friday, Feb. 7 weather conditions here :Which roads are closed in WNC? Following heavy rain, ice and strong winds may be ahead

Flooded, closed roads: Henderson

U.S. 25 near U.S. 176, both directions

Howard Gap Road near Nix Road

Dana Road near Tracy Grove Road

Butler Bridge Road near North Rugby Road

Balfour Road near Berkeley Road

South Grove Street near King Street

Nix Road near Clear Creek Road

Warlick Road near Turnpike Road

Howard Road near U.S. 25

East New Hope Road near Blue Ridge Street

Clearview Drive near Fairground Avenue

Airport Road near Shephard Street

Hooper Lane near N.C. 1

U.S. 19 closed through Nantahala Gorge

U.S. 19 is closed in both directions through the Nantahala Gorge overnight and "through at least daylight hours" on Feb. 7, according to DOT spokesman David Uchiyama.

"Crews are mobilizing to remove mud and debris from a troublesome location near Hewitts Road, where a slide closed the highway one month ago," Uchiyama said.

“There’s probably 50 or 60 truck loads of material in there that we’ll have to haul away,” Division 14 maintenance engineer Wesley Grindstaff said. “It’s not all on the road, but that’s what we’ll have to remove.”

The marked detour through Robbinsville and Stecoah adds about 20 minutes to a commute. Westbound drivers will take N.C. 28 to N.C. 143 and U.S. 129 back to U.S. 19/74. Drivers heading east will utilize those roads in reverse.

Watches and warnings

The weather service issued a flood warning for nine mountain counties through the evening Feb. 6: Henderson, Transylvania, Polk, Rutherford, Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon and Graham.

A flash flood warning means flooding is imminent.

Flash flood warnings for Swain and Graham counties will continue until 1 a.m. Feb. 7.

Rutherford and Polk counties are under flash flood warning until 10:15 p.m.

A flash flood watch, meaning conditions may develop that lead to flooding, was issued for all other counties in Western North Carolina, including Buncombe. It will be in affect until midnight tonight.

Flooding is expected in "small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage and low lying areas."

Most people who die in floods die in their vehicles, often trying to get through high water. The weather service reminds people to not try to make it through standing water, as even small amounts can float a vehicle.

UPDATED - Friday, Feb. 7 weather conditions here :Which roads are closed in WNC? Following heavy rain, ice and strong winds may be ahead

A powerful system

Other counties took the brunt of the deluge, with school districts in six counties opting for early closing because of flooding concerns. The town of Rutherfordton in Rutherford County declared a State Of Emergency due to flash flooding, noting the "many roads" are covered in water. The town urged residents to stay home if they don't have to be out on the roads.

Kimball said at 3 p.m. Feb. 6 that counties to the south and west of Buncombe saw the heaviest rainfall over a 24-hour period.

"Buncombe County has actually kind of been in a rain shadow — over the last 24 hours, there's been 2-3 inches in most of Buncombe County," Kimball said. "To the south, in Henderson and Transylvania, they've gotten 4-6 inches over the past 24 hours."

Rainfall is expected to continue through 9-10 p.m. the night of Feb. 6, with scattered showers overnight.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings or watches for all of Western North Carolina, through early Friday. Landslides were possible in some counties.

Next up? Snow.

The forecast calls for a chance of snow on Feb. 7, but it will be limited to higher elevations above 3,500 feet in the mountain counties bordering Tennessee, Kimball said. Accumulations of 1-3 inches are possible Friday into Saturday.

"It doesn't look favorable for snow in Buncombe," Kimball added.

The forecast for the Asheville Regional Airport calls for a high near 39 on Friday. On Feb. 8, there's a "a slight chance of snow before 11 a.m.," then a chance of rain and snow between 11 a.m.-noon. The high will be near 43.

In Henderson County on Feb. 6, the Emergency Management Office said multiple low-lying, flood prone roads in the county were flooded at 3 p.m.

In Transylvania County, Kimball said the Little River in the easternmost part of the county had flooded. Near Brevard, Island Ford Road was under water, as well as several others.

High water in Madison

At 2 p.m., the town of Marshall in Madison County declared a state of emergency.

Emergency Management Coordinator Edward Roberts said at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 6, the county has several areas where creeks were out of their banks and some minor flooding had begun.

"The ones we know about are in the Marshall area and the Laurel area," Roberts said, adding that a couple of places in Mars Hill are of concern, too.

"Currently, we're focused on the Marshall area, due to previous flooding there," Roberts said. "Emergency Management and the Town of Marshall have taken steps to mitigate any flooding."

Officials had cleared Blannahassett Island, which is in the French Broad River in downtown Marshall, and Roberts said they opened flood gates in the Rollins area.

They hadn't had to conduct any rescues.

"Right now we're just monitoring and making sure we pay very close attention to the forecast," Roberts said. "We're in constant contact with the National Weather Service."

The NWS forecast showed a significant rain event for Feb. 6 into Feb. 7., with "abundant" rainfall arriving on a southwest flow ahead of the approaching cold front.

Severe thunderstorms are possible through the evening of Feb. 6, while flooding was "likely through Friday," Feb. 7.

Possible slides?

Areas in the flash flood warning area could see slides.

"Excessive rainfall over the warned area may cause mud slides near steep terrain," the weather service said. "The mud slide can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

The weather service noted that rainfall of more than 5 inches in similar storms "has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides."

"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," the NWS advises. "Consider postponing travel along mountain roads during the period of heavy rainfall."