The first revenue #NorfolkSouthern freight #train since #Helene to traverse the famous #OldFortLoops from #OldFort over the #BlueRidge to #Ridgecrest is currently scheduled to run this Saturday, April 18, 2026. The Old Fort Depot is arranging an event.

#WNC #ncpol #Hurricanehelene #ncwx

For the first time since September 2024 and since #Helene, an eastbound train crosses the #EasternContinentalDivide at the western portal of the Swannanoa Tunnel at #Ridgecrest on April 7, 2026.

#hurricanehelene #WNC #oldfort #oldfortnc #ashevillenc #northcarolina #Swannanoatunnel #Swannanoagap

The #OldFortLoops is a portion of track that ascends the Blue Ridge via approximately 13 miles of track for a straight-line distance of three miles. This area of track suffered severe damage from #Helene with numerous washouts.

#hurricanehelene #WNC #oldfort #oldfortnc #ashevillenc #northcarolina

This run essentially certifies the line for revenue #trains following repair efforts conducted by #NorfolkSouthern and contractor #RJCorman. This also restores all rail links into #Asheville to the first time since #Helene.

#hurricanehelene #WNC #oldfort #oldfortnc #ashevillenc #northcarolina

#NorfolkSouthern Track Geometry Train 90G makes the first post-Hurricane #Helene train run up the #OldFortLoops on the AS-Line on its journey from #Salisbury to #Asheville, N.C. on April 7, 2026.

#hurricanehelene #WNC #oldfort #oldfortnc #ashevillenc #northcarolina

Helene Debris — Wildfire Risk for 10-20 Years The debris left behind by Hurricane Helene has fundamentally changed the wildfire landscape of western North Carolina — and according to state forest officials, the danger isn't going away anytime soo...

Helene debris will fuel wildfire risk in western NC for 10-20 years, NC Forest Service warns. 822,000+ acres of downed timber drying out. Fires burning 5-10x their normal size. Statewide burn ban in effect. wataugaonline.com/helene-debri... #HighCountryNC #WildfireNC #HurricaneHelene

Wildfire Risk Rises in WNC: Can New Tech Protect Homes from Helene Debris? | WNC Times Wildfire risk soars in WNC after Hurricane Helene. Can new camera tech protect forests & homes? Learn about early detection efforts!

Wildfire Risk Rises in WNC: Can New Tech Protect Homes from Helene Debris? wnctimes.com/article/wild... #WNC #WesternNC #WildfireSafety #HurricaneHelene #Asheville #PublicSafety #ClimateTech #NCForestService #WNCNews #WildfirePrevention #wnctimes ##FireTax #NCwx #Innovation #BlueRidge #Tech #HiTech

If you love cascading water and waterfalls, this is a great section of trail! This is Part 2 from our March section hike along the Tennessee AT. #appalachiantrail #hiking #backpacking #waterfalls #hurricanehelene #bootsoff #blackbearresort #Tennessee #at2026 #seniorhikers

State awards $4M+ to WNC parks for Helene recovery — High Country gets $2M+. Avery County leads with $987,500 for Hodge Turbyfill Fields. Watauga, Beech Mountain, Ashe, Banner Elk and Seven Devils also receive grants. wataugaonline.com/state-awards... #HighCountryNC #WataugaCounty #HurricaneHelene

Development Project Details - Buncombe County, NC

Heads up Asheville.

Steep Slope Development Proposed Adjacent to Blue Ridge Parkway.

#Asheville
#BuncombeCounty
#HurricaneHelene
#WhenWillWeLearn

developmentprojects.buncombenc.gov/project-deta...

Check out this unique t-shirt that celebrates resilience in the face of challenges! 🌪️💪 Perfect for anyone who has weathered the storm—literally or figuratively. Grab yours today and wear your survival story with pride! #HurricaneHelene #Survivor #TshirtDesign #Resilience #ShopNow

To all who enjoy nature, hiking, backpacking, and being outside, I hope you find this video relaxing and beautiful. Here's the latest from the Appalachian Trail—a section hike in Tennessee. #hiking #backpacking #AT2026 #sectionhiking #vistas #naturephotography #hurricaneHelene #Tennessee

Mission Yearbook: North Carolina town marks one year since Hurricane Helene with day of hope and healing Boone, North Carolina, recently observed the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s impact in Western North Carolina with Hope After Hel...

Boone, North Carolina, recently observed the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s impact in Western North Carolina with Hope After Helene, a day that included music, poetry, connection and reflection. #MissionYearbook #HurricaneHelene #PCUSA #PresbyterianChurchUSA

I immediately suspended campaigning and got to work on something far more important - helping my neighbors get back up on their feet.

#SouthCarolina #GreenwoodSC #McCormickSC #Community #CommunityService #HurricaneHelene

Our other neighbor’s amazing resilience during Hurricane Helene! Watching these waves roll in all night — incredible bravery! 🌊 #HurricaneHelene #StormSurge #Florida - NewsBreak The best local & breaking news source in the US, featuring local weather, alerts, deals, events and more.

[Video] Our other neighbor’s amazing resilience during Hurricane Helene! Watching these waves roll in all night — incredible bravery! 🌊 #HurricaneHelene #StormSurge #Florida
share.newsbreak.com/hpmpf23w

Mission Yearbook: North Carolina pastor looks back at impact of Hurricane Helene It’s been over a year since Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina. Different metrics are used after a natural disaster to measure its ...

It’s been over a year since Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina. #MissionYearbook #NorthCarolina #HurricaneHelene #PCUSA #PresbyterianChurchUSA

Leadership in Washington has failed Western North Carolina. Many of our friends and neighbors are still struggling a year and a half later. We deserve a representative who will fight for us to get back on our feet and fully recover from Helene.

#NC11 #WNC #WesternNC #HurricaneHelene

Check out this unique t-shirt that celebrates resilience in the face of challenges! 🌪️💪 Perfect for anyone who has weathered the storm—literally or figuratively. Grab yours today and wear your survival story with pride! #HurricaneHelene #Survivor #TshirtDesign #Resilience #ShopNow

Tillis threatens to hijack Senate business amid frustrations with Noem The retiring North Carolina Republican lashed the embattled DHS chief during her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

#NoemStatements #SenatorThomTillis #FEMA #DHS #ICE #HurricaneHelene #WesternNorthCarolina #AlexPretti #NicoleGood #FedsShootUSCitizensToDeath #DonaldTrump #KristiNoem #StephenMiller #CoreyLewandowski

www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

Enjoy your evening.

#firepit #cigarlounge #HurricaneHelene

A hotter, wetter South is becoming a breeding ground for mold In Asheville, North Carolina, a housing crisis is colliding with a poorly understood health threat.

After #HurricaneHelene, some Asheville apartments never dried out. In the heat and humidity that followed the storm, mold spread fast.

📰 Katie Myers & Laura Hackett investigate how a hotter, wetter South is growing into a public health and housing issue for @grist.org: grist.org/health/in-a-...

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein announces nearly $6 million in grants to aid North Carolina in flood resiliency in Western North Carolina after the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. #ncpol #ncga #wnc #hurricanehelene

hurricanes. As surface water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico reach exceptional levels, hurricanes' wind speeds are increasing dramatically in the hours before they make landfall; Helene went from 130km/h to 225km/h in the space of 24 hours. These rapid gearshifts give people far less time to react and

This is what the #ClimateCrisis looks like #HurricaneHelene #Asheville #CedarKey from @theobserveruk.bsky.social @jeevanvasagar.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/style/featur...

North Carolina needs this. #HurricaneHelene #ncpol

Trump-appointed Hurricane Helene "Recovery Czar" and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley continues to do nothing for WNC. Many Western North Carolinians are being left behind because of Whatley's inaction on crucial disaster relief. #ncpol #hurricanehelene #wnc

#MondayMinute: Helene Recovery Boards

Want to follow along as they get into the nitty gritty? Meetings are streamed and archived on the City’s youtube, and you can review meeting materials on the city’s website at: publicinput.com/helenerecove...

#disasterrecovery #hurricanehelene #Asheville

Check out this unique t-shirt that celebrates resilience in the face of challenges! 🌪️💪 Perfect for anyone who has weathered the storm—literally or figuratively. Grab yours today and wear your survival story with pride! #HurricaneHelene #Survivor #TshirtDesign #Resilience #ShopNow

Never forget Western North Carolina. #HurricaneHelene #resilience
#climatechange

One Year After Helene, New Perspectives on Our Worst Storms - North Carolina State Climate Office The sights and stories that slowly trickled out of western North Carolina last September were so shocking, they were at times hard to believe. Swollen rivers practically wiped out charming mountain to...

"Instead of floodwaters spreading out across a wide area, rushing over roadways and through the culverts beneath them, the mountainous terrain channeled that water into powerful bursts that knocked out sensitive structures." #HurricaneHelene #ClimateChange

Hurricane Helene recovery and resilience updates for WNC this blog post was written in collaboration with North Carolina Program Manager Ridge Graham Fourteen months after Hurricane Helene devastated our region,

14+ months after #HurricaneHelene, #WNC recovery continues — from homes to resilience hubs. New funding, extended programs, and clean energy microgrids are part of the story. Read more: https://loom.ly/XNuCPXA