The National Weather Service said Helene had cleared most of the Western North Carolina area by 11:21 a.m. Friday, but significant impacts including serious flooding were expected to continue into the weekend. Numerous areas and cities along the French Broad River are experiencing flooding and the river continues to rise.

As Tropical Storm Helene raced through North Carolina Friday, the city of Asheville began to flood. Videos show streets turned to rivers as the storm dumped water across the region. TOP STORIES FROM WXII: Special edition Stanley tumblers are selling out,

Hurricane Helene is expected to impact Asheville the afternoon of Sept. 26, but a rain system has already caused closures across the region.

The National Weather Service (Greenville-Spartanburg) believes Hurricane Helene will bring historic flooding to Asheville on Friday. Officials urged extreme caution, stating the storm would be “one of the most significant weather events to happen in the western portions of the area in the modern era.