It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Wisconsin State Historical Marker 551: The West Bend Aluminum Company gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in West Bend, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I cannot say enough good things about this company and the caregivers they provided after my mom's recent accident and stay in a rehab facility. The staff were constantly in communication with us keeping us abreast of any little or big updates. Their attitudes were always helpful and they seemed to genuinely care. The caregivers they sent to sit with and take care of mom were EXCELLENT. I'm not sure how many different caregivers she had over the few weeks of her stay but there wasn't a single one that wasn't kind and extremely helpful. It took a tremendous load off of everyone in our family knowing that she was being well cared for when we couldn't be there. Thank you to Brandi, Joanne, Gina, and anyone I'm missing for everything you all did for us from the beginning of the process all the way to my mom's release today. Hopefully, we won't need your services again, but if we do, I know who I will be calling!”
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“I highly recommend Sandy Bowen with Always Best Care. I called her with a very tight timeframe to find a suitable memory care facility for my family member. She asked a lot of questions about my loved one to try and get to know her as much as possible. She worked very fast and lined up several appointments for us to tour places within a matter of days. She explained the process to me every step of the way and made sure we stayed on track. She attended the appointments with me and asked questions that I would never think to ask. I can’t thank her enough.”
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“The staff and caretakers are wonderful. Would absolutely recommend to anyone who needs at home care for themselves or loved ones”
“During an unexpected hospital stay, Joanne provided much needed assistance. She provided excellent care and supportive advocacy. It made dealing with the discomfort more bearable and gave me a safeguard to decipher the complicated choices to resolve health issues. I highly recommend this service.”
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Regner Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Krimmer's Restaurant or visit The Tower Heritage Center, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in West Bend, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in West Bend, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in West Bend, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The effects of Hurricane Helene are still impacting the southeastern U.S., with widespread cell service outages in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, days af...
The effects of Hurricane Helene are still impacting the southeastern U.S., with widespread cell service outages in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, days after the Category 4 storm made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region.
Major cellular providers — AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — are actively working to restore service, though none have provided a specific timeline for full restoration.
Here's the latest progress and updates from each provider.
Weather alerts via text: Sign-up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location.
Many cell sites in affected areas are running on backup power due to widespread power outages, depending on refueling operations.
Damaged or unpowered fiber cables that connect cell sites to the broader network are being repaired as quickly as possible, with alternate connections deployed to restore service.
Restoration is ongoing but progress is slow.
Here's the latest updates from Verizon:
Verizon will waive postpaid domestic call/text/data usage from Sept. 26 through Oct. 5.
AT&T has set up a disaster response basecamp in Georgia to coordinate resources and support ongoing restoration efforts in the affected regions. Dispatch yards are also staged in multiple states to improve efficiency.
"So far, public safety has made more than 80 requests for emergency connectivity support across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and we will continue to prioritize their response and recovery communications needs," a statement from the company reads.
Here are the latest updates, according to AT&T:
AT&T has announced it will waive talk, text, and data overage charges for AT&T Postpaid & Prepaid customers with billing addresses in 1,415 affected ZIP codes from Sept. 27 to Oct. 27. Charges for residential and business wireline orders placed through Oct. 27 will also be waived.
More:Helene floods wipe out Asheville River Arts District businesses: 'Completely destroyed'
There are currently more than 500 emergency crew members, field engineers and technicians deployed with T-Mobile, according to a statement from the company.
Here are the latest major updates:
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday evening, cutting power to millions of residents and causing massive flooding as it moved across Georgia and the Carolinas.As wind and flood damage is assessed in Florida, focus on the storm is now shifting north.Learn more: How Helene compar...
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday evening, cutting power to millions of residents and causing massive flooding as it moved across Georgia and the Carolinas.
As wind and flood damage is assessed in Florida, focus on the storm is now shifting north.
Learn more: How Helene compares with past storms
At least 22 deaths have been reported. More than 4.5 million people in six states, including Tennessee and Virginia, have lost power.
Helene arrived with 140 mph winds about 10 miles west of Perry, Florida, at about 11:10 p.m. ET Thursday. It’s the first Category 4 storm to hit the Big Bend region since 1851, USA TODAY reported.
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Helene quickly weakened as it moved inland. It was categorized as a tropical storm with sustained winds at 45 mph at 11 a.m. ET Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.
At that point, the storm was 30 miles southwest of Bryson City, North Carolina, and 105 miles north-northeast of Atlanta.
Residents of Newport, Tennessee, were ordered to evacuate at 2:56 p.m. Friday after the Waterview Dam failed because of rising waters caused by Helene. Authorities in Cocke County were evacuating residents along the Pigeon and French Broad rivers, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
Helene's heavy rain also is causing floods in North Carolina. Evacuations have been ordered with the expected failure of the Lake Lure Dam.
Helene is the 22nd Category 4 storm in the U.S. since 1920. There have been only four Category 5 hurricanes in the same time period.
It will be a while before all damage caused by Helene can be assessed. Past hurricanes have caused billions of dollars in damage from flooding, structural damage and power outages.
This story was updated with new information.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Trevor Hughes, Thao Nguyen and Gabe Hauari
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; National Hurricane Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists. Tropical Storm Helene is tracking inland over the Southeast today with extreme flash flooding, record river flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes.(?LIVE UPDATES: ...
Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.
Tropical Storm Helene is tracking inland over the Southeast today with extreme flash flooding, record river flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes.
(?LIVE UPDATES: Latest Storm Reports, Impacts)
H?ere's where Helene is now: Helene made landfall at 11:10 p.m. EDT Thursday night about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida, as Category 4 packing 140-mph winds.
The tropical storm is now centered 105 miles north-northeast of Atlanta, and is tracking quickly northward at 32 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 45 mph.
N?umerous flash flood warnings are ongoing, as shown by the green outlines on the radar map below. Several of the warnings this morning have been high-end flash flood emergencies in western North Carolina, including Asheville, upstate South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, southwest Virginia and northern Georgia, including Atlanta. That means serious flooding impacts have occurred in those areas.
R?ecord flood crests have been observed on multiple rivers in North Carolina, including the Pigeon River in Canton, French Broad River in Fletcher and the Swannanoa River at Biltmore (near Asheville).
R?ainfall totals have topped a foot in parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina since Wednesday. The top total is nearly 30 inches near Busick, North Carolina.
F?looding
T?here have already been more than 200 reports of flooding from northern Florida into western Virginia over the past 48 hours from Helene and a separate weather system that preceded it.
The greatest flood threat Friday continues to be from northern Georgia into the the southern Appalachians. Rainfall from Helene has already triggered catastrophic flooding in this region.
That's because the heavy rain in addition to the hilly and mountainous terrain is a prime setup for destructive, life-threatening rainfall flooding and landslides. M?ajor to locally record flooding is possible on some rivers.
E?lsewhere, a broad area of the Ohio, Tennessee and mid-Mississippi valleys could see at least local flash flooding.
High Winds
Tropical storm warnings remain posted from parts of Georgia into South Carolina and western North Carolina. The National Weather Service has also posted high wind warnings and wind advisories in the Ohio, Tennessee and mid-Mississippi valleys.
Additional downed trees and power outages could impact these areas today into tonight.
E?arlier this morning, wind gusts over 90 mph were clocked in south Georgia, including near Valdosta, Alma and Douglas. A wind gust as high as 82 mph has been measured as far north as Augusta, Georgia.
M?any landfalling hurricanes also produce a tornado threat to the right, or in this case east, of where the center tracks.
The greatest chance of a few tornadoes today is in the eastern Carolinas and southern Virginia
T?he need to issue tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches for western Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula prompted the NHC to begin advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine in the western Caribbean Sea on Sept. 23.
T?he following morning, Tropical Storm Helene formed as bands of rain and strong winds lashed Cancún and Cozumel. Helene also produced heavy rain and some tropical storm force gusts over parts of western Cuba.
H?elene then became a hurricane over the southern Gulf of Mexico on Sept. 25, then rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane in the evening before landfall on Sept. 26.
Helene became the second major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season Thursday afternoon. Early in the evening, a NOAA Hurricane Hunter mission found maximum winds had increased Category 4 intensity.
Helene's center moved ashore around 11:10 p.m. EDT Thursday night about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida, with winds of 140 mph, Category 4 ?intensity, and a pressure of 938 millibars, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Helene is the strongest hurricane on record to landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, stronger than 2023's Idalia, which made a Category 3 landfall with 115 mph winds and a pressure of 950 millibars and an 1896 Cedar Keys hurricane's 125 mph winds.
H?elene is also the third hurricane to landfall in Florida's Big Bend region in just under 13 months. Three of the last five hurricanes to landfall in the mainland U.S. have done so in this Big Bend region.
Landfall storm reports: The eyewall, home to a hurricane's most intense winds, prompted a rare "extreme wind warning", a high-end alert only issued for Category 3 or stronger hurricane eyewalls to alert those in the path to take shelter from these damaging winds as if a tornado warning was issued.
P?eak storm surge is estimated to have reached more than 15 feet in the Florida Big Bend region based on post-storm modeling. The area will be surveyed at a later time to reveal the actual measured storm surge heights.
Over 9 feet of inundation was reported by a gauge at Cedar Key, Florida, much higher than that from Hurricane Idalia in August 2023 (6.84 feet).
S?urge flooding in parts of the Tampa Bay area topped previous modern era records from 2023's Idalia or earlier. Clearwater Beach reported about 6.7 feet of inundation (above average high tide), easily surpassing its previous record from the March 1993 Superstorm (4.02 feet).
T?he St. Petersburg gauge - about 6.31 feet of inundation - also crushed its previous modern-era record from 1985's Hurricane Elena.
Significant flooding was also reported at Ft. Myers Beach and Naples, where gauges measured 4 to 5 feet of surge inundation. According to a ham radio operator, water 5 to 6 feet above normal levels was observed in the Punta Gorda Canal Network.
Winds gusted to 98 mph at Perry, 84 mph at Cedar Key and 82 mph at St. Petersburg's Albert Whitted Airport. Gusts up to 72 mph at Miami's Opa Locka Airport, 70 mph in Sarasota and 67 mph in Orlando were also recorded.
Fueled by extremely warm water in the Gulf of Mexico as it rapidly intensified, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm along Florida's Big Bend coast late Thursday night, then quickly lost punch and was downgraded to a tro...
Fueled by extremely warm water in the Gulf of Mexico as it rapidly intensified, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm along Florida's Big Bend coast late Thursday night, then quickly lost punch and was downgraded to a tropical storm within hours, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The center described Helene as a "very dangerous and large major hurricane" with "damaging hurricane winds and catastrophic storm surge" when it came ashore, and said Helene was still causing a "life-threatening" storm surge, strong winds and heavy rain" hours later.
The storm was a major hurricane when it made landfall near Perry, Florida, at 11:10 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour.
As of 11 a.m. EDT, Helene was approximately 30 miles southwest of Bryson City, North Carolina and was racing north at 32 mph, the Miami-based hurricane center said. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
A map from the National Hurricane Center showed Helene heading north through Georgia early Friday, with its impacts being felt across South Carolina and parts of North Carolina as well.
After landfall, Helene was "expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday," the hurricane center said.
In northwest Florida, storm surge was a major concern as Helene arrived. Forecasters expected the storm surge to reach 5 to 10 feet from the Florida's Aucilla River to Chassahowitzka, Florida. Other areas could see anywhere from 3 to 7 feet of water, the hurricane center warned.
As the storm moves on, parts of the Southeast and Southern Appalachians could see total rain accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, with some areas getting up to 20 inches, forecasters said, bringing flooding across the region and a threat of landslides in steep terrain.
"We've already seen double-digit rainfall in western North Carolina and we could still get another half-foot or more. That means there's a risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding," meteorologist Stephanie Abrams of The Weather Channel said on "CBS Mornings" Friday, adding that flooding could stretch all the way to the Mississippi River.
"All of this water will cause rivers to rise, some of which could crush their records by several feet," Abrams said.
Ahead of its landfall, Helene rapidly intensified over the record-warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The high ocean temperature level at this location were made 200 times more likely due to climate change, according to analysis by Climate Central.
"This is the fourth hurricane to make landfall on the Gulf Coast this year. This has happened only five other times in history," Abrams noted.
Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph today, Sept. 27, as it approached Western North Carolina.Helene did become a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall.Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida on Thursday night and turned northwestward and slow over t...
Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph today, Sept. 27, as it approached Western North Carolina.
Helene did become a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall.
Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida on Thursday night and turned northwestward and slow over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday. Though Florida will be hit first, other areas are also in the storm's path including Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, as well as northern and eastern Georgia.
More:Hurricane Helene forecast for Western NC: 'Catastrophic, life-threatening' flooding possible
More:Self-evacuate: Fletcher, Biltmore Village residents urged to leave river areas ahead of Helene
In addition to the impending threat of severe weather caused by Helene, WNC saw a "predecessor" rainfall event that brought up to 8 inches in many areas. Combined with the 6-10 inches of rainfall expected over the next 24 hours, this has significantly increased the risk of landslides and flash flooding in WNC locales including Asheville.
"This will be one of the most significant weather events to happen in the western portions of the area in the modern era," the National Weather Service said in a statement. "Record flooding is forecasted and has been compared to the floods of 1916 in the Asheville area. The impacts from this event are expected to be greater than Tropical Storm Fred from August 2021, the mountains in 2004 from Frances and Ivan, and in Upstate South Carolina the Saluda River Basin flooding from 1949. We plead with everyone that you take every single weather warning very seriously through the entirety of this event as impacts will be life-threatening and make sure to have multiple ways to receive the alerts. The protection of life and property is the overall mission of the National Weather Service, and we pledge to stand by the folks of the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia. We cannot stress the significance of this event enough. Heed all evacuation orders from your local Emergency Managers and go to a storm shelter if you do not feel safe at your current location.
"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."
In previous reporting from the Citizen Times preceding this predecessor, National Weather Service Meteorologist Clay Chaney explained:
"One of the setups, though, for Asheville that's concerning is that we're going to have a lot of rainfall prior to Helene — we're talking 4 to 8 inches of rainfall across the mountains, especially along the Blue Ridge Escarpment," Chaney said. "Then on top of that, you get that tropical rain band associated with Helene on top of strong wind gusts, that's likely going to result in numerous trees down, numerous power outages and also numerous landslides."
The NWS said that the heavy rainfall and high winds associated with Helene are expected to arrive in the WNC area this evening, Thursday, Sept. 26, and will likely have cleared out by Friday night, Sept. 27.
NHS maps created at 1:43 p.m. Sept. 26 show rainfall predictions and areas at highest risk of flash floods.
More:Hurricane Helene: Western NC high-impact road closures in Asheville, I-26 flooding
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
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