Absolutely DEVASTATING Hurricane HELENE Deforestation in Asheville, North Carolina

For licensing contact Aaron at [e-mail]
Reasons like today are why I stick with events for so long. While the flooding is what captured the eyes all around the world, those who didn't get flooded out were dodging trees falling all around them as Hurricane Helene produced winds over 100mph throughout the mountains surrounding Asheville. This amount of deforestation is truly unprecedented and this landscape is forever changed as the blue ridge parkway remains closed.
Its truly saddening to see what the trees are supposed to look like with prime fall color surrounded by such devastation.

[@tomwilliams7773]

I drove up this road (Webb Cove Road) on Saturday. This is a road that I have traveled quite often over the past fifty years. In my worst nightmare, I could have never imagined this type of destruction. In person, the magnitude of the damage is far greater than this video shows. Thank you for posting this video for others to see. Also you did a great job with the silence of the video! I think it helps the viewer concentrate on the visual impact on the environment. I had to stop several times on my drive Saturday up the road. In my life time I have heard as many chainsaws and chippers in use at one time. Also ,a very big thank you to all of the Utility Workers and volunteers out here helping a month later after Helene hit. Viewers need to remember that this is not an isolated spot. This is just one neighborhood here in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee that was devasted! There are hundreds and hundreds of neighborhoods that have been impacted like this: some by winds and some by flooding water.

[@DDee-oi6kn]

I've never seen this aspect of the damage there. Thank you for showing the damage done to the trees - so incredibly sad.

[@CampingforCool41]

I think many of the ones still standing but bare will green up in the spring again. It looks like they had their leaves stripped, but not necessarily killed.

[@volkerengels5298]

@@CampingforCool41 Many have lost large branches...? You're right - there is still life in these trees - but in many of them it has become very, very small. A tree can survive for years with a little green. Functionally, it is still 97% dead.

[@CampingforCool41]

@@volkerengels5298 perhaps. But trees can take a lot of damage and sprout new branches if they were healthy to begin with. This is why practices like coppicing worked. I think we’ll only know the full extent of the damage to the trees in a few years. It’s bad but perhaps not nearly as bad as it looks here.

[@volkerengels5298]

@@CampingforCool41 I won't say anything *definitive* based on a drone video from an area that is nowhere near my home. :)) As with wildfire - it depends on intensity and there is a threshold. And yes - most ppl underestimate the ability of trees to recover. "Burned last year - this year almost all green" In Western Europe, forests are suffering badly from the effects of climate change - drought and bark beetles. But we also don't have any forests in the true sense of the word. For 100 years :)) That 'forest' doesn't have much power. What about the forests in North Carolina - if you know?

[@ruthiemay423]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for not adding a mind-numbing icepick-to-the-brain noisetrack. Much appreciated!!! ❤❤❤

[@bpentea2403]

AMEN

[@tomsmith2013]

I don't know. Barber's Adagio for Strings could have worked for this.

[@dianejohnston3594]

I'm a native of North Carolina. This is one of the saddest videos I've seen. I love these mountains and our small eight acres in Tryon NC which are covered with more than 35 varieties of trees. Birds Way 🐦

[@LorenaBobbittForPresident]

How did Tryon and Landrum do in the storm?

[@buzzy-230bps]

What an absolutely gorgeous area this must have been. Breathtaking. The contrast is unbelievable. Thank you, Aaron, for sharing your gifts and video with us.

[@richardmeo2503]

Some shots remind me of the eruption of Mt St Helens.

[@mfgc2610]

Said the same... Incredible scenes.

[@pickles8551]

That's what I thought. Just bigger.

[@lauriehutchison449]

Exactly what I was thinking - from here in Washington state & was here when it happened. It’ll come back, but it’ll take years.

[@jcoleman1058]

My thoughts exactly. I was stationed at Bangor Subbase when that event occurred.

[@richardmeo2503]

@@jcoleman1058 Bet that woke you up. I was stunned at that footage.

[@vangmountain]

The fact that these homes largely remained unscathed while trees fell all around them is very telling. It definitely tells you the ground was compromised so the roots lost the anchoring strength they normally have. Being the mountains, you can expect venturi effect and turbulence played a role in speeding up what otherwise would have been normal wind speeds. Really sad to see as the mountains are my absolute favorite thing about North Carolina. It's hard to see such beautiful places such as the Blue Ridge Parkway looking like a debris field. The winds were definitely doing a lot more than the hurricane as a whole was doing. Localized wind speeds likely were much higher than the overall average hurricane wind speeds. You can rebuild roads and homes, but trees, you just can't just rebuild them. It's going to take a 100 years before it can return to what it once was. Who would have thought Helene could have brought so much devastation to the mountains. Thank you for sharing.

[@MySilverSprings]

Cleanup from this storm will take decades. Makes me so incredibly sad. It's good that people have been helping each other but it is such a devastating loss of life, homes, businesses, destruction of the land itself. Thank you for an informative video as I didn't realize the wind had been that bad that far inland. 😢

[@DieselRamcharger]

once all those dead trees fall, there is going to be mudslide after mudslide after mudslide. this is just the beginning.

[@gottasay4766]

If we weren’t here to affected and to observe it, this would have just been a reorganization of the landscape.

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

​@@DieselRamcharger YES EXACTLY 😢

[@kandiceblu1]

Finally, someone say it will take decades. I’ve heard people say oh in a few months ask Japan about this.

[@sandsmarc]

It will take decades, but decades are a short amount of time in the scheme of things.

[@suecharnock9369]

the problem now will be all the winter rains will fall on virgin earth. That can create a lot of mud slides and slippage, causing further issues for theses communities. Prayers.

[@HearturMind]

Fire Hazzard too. Does anyone know if they can be extracted for lumber or not?

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

​@@HearturMind It wouldn't be easy in many cases. Would be dangerous and a gargantuan operation in many places. And exceedingly expensive possibly to the point of being 'upside down' financially, as it would cost more to get the timber out than what you could sell it for, especially after it's been fully processed into lumber etc.

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

This is also going to be a breeding ground for termites in many places. We have laws around here about leaving stumps, and huge pieces of logs and wood because the termite growth! So any houses left standing or usable in the area could be threatened.

[@HearturMind]

@@iahelcathartesaura3887 Thanks for your answer. I was afraid of that. Vermont had a very similar scenario in 2011 with Hurricane Irene. I wonder how they dealt with these issues of forestry post-storm. I know even before the storm if you did firebreak culling on your land you could get a tax break on that land and keep the profits from the wood. So they did have a workable sustainable forestry system going into it. To this day the scars are still evident on the land. Dry river beds, debris fields, farms and homes by the rivers not rebuilt. My heart breaks for these folks.

[@kevinparks3041]

@@HearturMind I live in the neighborhood this footage was taken. We've been in contact with the Forest Service and they are assisting with the application process for individual property owners for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. But it will be a slow process. They are sending someone up in December to assess for fire prevention. If all goes well, the program will pay up to 75% of costs to remove trees, stabilize soil, and replant. But it starts at the county level with a max $ value of $50K, then state max $ value of $100K, then federal $500K per individual applicant. Each property owner who lost forest will be an applicant.

[@norseman6791]

Local knowledge of my backyard: BRP to Craven Gap , Lynn Cove , Webb Cove , Lynn Cove , Town Mountain Road , Lynn Cove to Elk Trail , Webb Cove Demo , Webb Cove Upper Land Slide , Kalmia Drive up to Rice Knob , BRP + Town Mountain Road , BRP to Town Mountain Road , Elk Mountain Scenic Highway into Lynn Cove , Sourwood Inn , Elk Mountain Scenic Highway looking into Weaverville and Reynolds Mountain , Guessing Ox or Reems Creek .

[@oriolesfan7807]

You answered my posted ? if this was along the BRP. Wow, very sad.

[@A1A4SpeechPrivacy]

Thank you for this information

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

THANK YOU 💯🙏 I recognized Town Mountain Road and some other spots but wasn't sure and couldn't really get my bearings.

[@diannerose6186]

My neighborhood, my house southwest facing. So much devastation 😢

[@drgonzo767]

Aaron, thank you once again for your incredible coverage of this event.

[@bekind4018]

It's amazing that houses are still standing amongst all the fallen trees. 🙏🙏🙏

[@justincase9463]

The lithium mining companies will need housing for employees when they start strip mining those mountain tops.

[@MySteamChannel]

Heartbreaking scenes...thanks for making us aware. My best wishes for these folks....from Australia.

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

Thank you 💯💔❤️‍🩹🙏

[@molz-dm4qn]

thank you

[@myradioon]

There were definitely Tornadoes mixed in there. You'll notice in the first shot (looks like Patton Mtn. area?) all the trees were facing West because the winds came up over the Blue Ridge from the East. There were scenes like this where I live in Weaverville. Huge trees snapped in HALF on ridges. This is what makes this storm arguably 'worse' than the 1916 Flood - the high wind damage.

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

Thank you for commenting from Weaverville and sharing all of that!

[@nikosenergy5585]

Yes it was up where Ox Creek and Elk Mtn come to the parkway, I saw that exact line of trees unaffected next to total destruction, I heard there was a tornado that came over from Beaverdam area over the ridge. It hard to see so many trees down... 😭

[@BeardOperator]

Yes mini microbursts tornadoes that morning. I’m here, winds were insane. Some people are even saying they seen tornadoes Friday morning. The tree that crushed our home is pointing straight west.

[@carolinalady7763]

The water was also higher than 1916. So there's that. I live in Haywood county.

[@Panzer_the_Merganser]

Looked like Patton Mtn to me too.

[@zuzuspetals923]

This is unique among all the videos I have seen of the destruction wrought by Helene. Thank you for thinking to capture the incredible effects of the wind ! One of the most amazing views (between 0.42 and 0.52) is when you turn the camera to look down a valley: the forest on one side looks pristine, untouched, the colors vibrant and beautiful, while the whole stretch along the other side looks for all the world like it has been clear-cut. And it was just one of many such areas you captured. Were the slopes that were left relatively intact all facing the same direction?

[@myradioon]

The wind came from the East. Areas on the East side of the elevation of the Blue Ridge Parkway (runs N-S) were hit directly. The winds clipped areas higher up on the other side after it came over the 'Ridge' and also in wider swaths of valleys where it could touch down again. If you were in a sheltered 'Cove' on the Wast side of a mountain you may not have had as much damage - but small hills and ridges around you were sheared. The highest elevations also recorded the most rainfall as the mountains literally 'caught' the water out of the storm.

[@zuzuspetals923]

@@myradioon Thank you for a clear, concise description and logical explanation . It took a minute for a visual to form in my mind, but then the light bulb came on, thanks to you ! Your time and effort to write a response are greatly appreciated. Devastation on such a vast scale as that caused by Helene is being really hard to wrap my head around. And from the number of people who either survived the event or are on the ground doing relief work asking, "How could this have happened?", I am far from alone in struggling with that question. I have been following The GeoModels YT channel to help me better understand the geologic forces at work , but Mr. Prince hasn't covered the wind damage aspect (yet). Thanks again for your helpful, knowledgeable reply☺️ Forgive my curiosity, but I am now wondering if you are a meteorologist or geologist or geographer by profession ??

[@myradioon]

@@zuzuspetals923 Im not. But walking around my neighborhood I noted nearly every downed tree was facing due West. You could set a compass to them. Also most of them were the biggest/ tallest trees and or on the higher hills/ridges. Nearly every 'Heirloom" tree in front yards came down, even Oaks and Pecans. If they weren't uprooted they snapped at the trunks from the force. Weaverville my town is just on the West side of the Blue Ridge.

[@izzyplusplusplus1004]

As a casual thought, wind damage is not just the wind at those speeds. Whatever is caught up in that wind becomes additional effluvia. Literally tons of material that is solid or liquid becomes part of a "flow" that can exacerbate destruction. Hills like the Appalachians would have a lot of effluviated particulates added to the force of the gales.

[@andy123605]

My wife and I live on Elk Mountain Scenic Hwy. We have to see this every day. It’s truly as “devastating” as Aaron shows.

[@MrsB197something]

Many folks that have been down there helping said it appears to be tornado damage and as a kansan that has survived 2 tornadoes I agree. Water did a ton of damage yes but some of that damage does not equate with what water did. Thank you for sharing this and my thoughts and best wishes to all those effected by this terrible storm.

[@rebecca9949]

I'm in Upstate SC which had extensive tree damage and we've been saying the same thing with the pattern in the way the trees were taken down

[@bugginout3169]

100 mph wind across water saturated ground will topple trees like match sticks. The blow down effect with roots balls in tact vs. trees broken in half is the real indicator that these trees were blown over from their root systems. I am hoping logging felled trees will not be an option for this region. The ground will need the cover of the felled trees to prevent or minimize future land slides. This is very interesting about the trees, but when you look at Chimney Rock and the misplaced boulders that are larger than the houses, boulders that are now precariously perched on mud-slick mountain sides, it will be a matter of time and future rain fall that will predict how the land heals.

[@MrsB197something]

@@bugginout3169 I don't disagree that high winds were involved I just know from experience some of these areas look like tornado damage on top of the winds

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

​@@bugginout3169 Thank you so much for this insight and all these points 💯

[@MrsB197something]

@@rebecca9949 I think they had all of this planned and I know that sounds nuts until you look at the proof.

[@lorihamlin3604]

After Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach in 2018 it maintained 100 mph winds into S GA and took down many acres of planted pines and pecan orchards. Some huge trees were uprooted and miles of pines snapped in to. There are still areas where trees were permanently bent into the direction wind was blowing. Some survived but others die and fall eventually. Every large rain event since, trees will fall across roadways. Power companies stay on top of situation constantly clearing damaged trees away from power lines. In my experience, 250 acres wooded property on the family farm looked similar to this except in areas of 10 year old planted pines. The younger trees were not damaged. Logging had to be done immediately before beetles cause further damage. It’s not a money making affair for logging. The difficulties of getting into areas to work are very time consuming and difficult. We got out what we could and cleared fence lines and planted fast growing pine seedlings by hand. It was not possible to get planting equipment in. By the time (not in my lifetime) these trees are grown in 25-30 years much of the fallen debris from huge trees left on the ground will be decayed. My days of wandering these woods since childhood is over as much of it is impassable. The creeks running thru require constant upkeep as more debris washes into them. Cows to keep down undergrowth is no longer a viable option so the acreage is becoming overgrown. The government has provided valuable forest management help to insure that the land is restored. And life goes on. We were very fortunate that very few homes or lives were taken. Lots of new roofs and fewer trees around houses but no landslides storm surge.

[@henrymorgan3982]

Incredible footage. Thank you for sharing.

[@taminancolas]

Thanks!

[@StormChaserAaronRigsby]

Thank you!

[@taminancolas]

So well deserved. Wish I could help you more. Just not enough coverage for ALL the devastation that occurred. In my area(SW Arizona)it almost seems like it was nothing more than a "bad flood". Keep up the good work and for showing everyone what is. STAY SAFE!

[@tggonzales7971]

The randomness of nature has me in awe. That some houses were razed to the ground, while their neighbors were untouched. As I’ve said before, mother nature is a cruel mistress. I hope for nothing but a speedy recovery for all affected by this storm.

[@johnnybravo5044]

Nothing natural about this.

[@daisyb282]

The evil NWO

[@sincerecanadian2791]

I am amazed at how the houses all survived

[@Kim-yy8kl]

Not all of them

[@Lakeman3211]

The foliage was even stripped from these trees…amazing the wind was that selective on various locations..,

[@evawood438]

How absolutely terrible terrible terrible......My beautiful mountains and animals and plants.......And of course to those affected.....Thank you for sharing this.

[@yetiskies9240]

I live in the area and it's heartbreaking to see. What causes the trees to look like sticks and loose their leaves? Honestly it looks like the photos from the Tunguska meteor a hundred years ago. Incredible video, thank you for sharing.

[@Evolvingmom]

Thank you for this beautifully photographed and edited video.

[@robynclark6152]

It’s SoSad To See All The Devastation THEY Caused!!!! 🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼 Prayers for Everyone Who Was Affected By This Horrific Incident!!

[@pjseiber2774]

When you say "THEY" who are you speaking of?

[@BiometricFileHasBeenCorrupted]

My name is Legion: for we are many. Satan can answer your question. but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. So take heed...

[@daisyb282]

@@pjseiber2774the evil NWO

[@Daniel15391]

Amen

[@gwenreader6631]

Who are “they”? The boogie men from the gubmint? Lay off the weed. It causes paranoia.

[@mamawfrancy]

Never seen this before ... mind blowing deforestation devastation.

[@carriegarrisonvos4433]

And you see this all the way up and down WNC. I'm from Avery County and we had the same in the surrounding area also. It was not only water but tornado or straight wind damage. Lots of trees lost in WNC. 😢

[@218philip]

It is puzzling to me that the wind that knocked so many trees down didn’t do more damage to the homes, roofs and windows seemingly intact.

[@chetmyers7041]

Many of these homes belong to rich folks. Perhaps they are built to higher "wind standards" including screwed down metal roofs. The indians treated the hills as sacred, now the rich folks want to live on top of the mountains for "the view." How many years of damage until codes are updated so that these mountain top communities are forced to MITIGATE for the runoff they create, and loss of watershed.

[@vincentfalcone9218]

A lot of the tree blow down was due to the saturated soil from rains, hence why you see almost no structural damage but the trees fell like crazy.

[@kc72186]

​@@vincentfalcone9218 OR?

[@gwimmy7992]

One of those houses is mine, so I can tell you that this video is essential. But it was taken about 23 days AFTER the hurricane winds hit our homes. Many homes had massive trees falling on them. Now it's a tinderbox, and we've had no rain.

[@graalcloud]

@@gwimmy7992 If you get more rain, the power is going out again.

[@MrPhotodoc]

I had no idea the winds were that strong with the storm. Water from flash flooding and storm surge appeared to be the major impact. Thanks for the eye opener.

[@T4JM]

Great video. I recognized this day one.. Leaf season in high country was kinda skipped.. because the leaves were torn off the trees on the ridgetops.

[@Ladybugannabanana]

When Hugo moved through Charlotte some of our forest looked like this too.

[@cajun1957]

1989?

[@deannadrake2040]

@@cajun1957 Yes.

[@cajun1957]

@@deannadrake2040 I lived in Lenoir at the time & with very vivid recollections. Early morning hurricane & I read the eyewall of Hugo came over us. Heard a tree snap!!! LOUD

[@deannadrake2040]

@@cajun1957 Lol, yes, I was in still living in New Bern at that time myself. I remember Hugo was a little bizarre, as instead of hitting Wilmington, he backed up & absolutely slammed poor Charleston, & then trekked through his trajectory path & hit Charlotte. Crazy. Lots of damage there, esp. since they just don't hurricanes, lol, but Charleston...omg.

[@JoseeAlana]

It’s just heartbreaking to see the devastation to the forests. The towns that were destroyed and lives lost were horrifying but now seeing the hundreds of trees down and mudslides all over is just heartbreaking.

[@cajun1957]

Tax coffers will plummet!!!

[@IsAllAboutHealth]

Wow, the destruction is everywhere. Now i understand what they were saying about the mountain tops looked like tornado went through. Thank you for sharing and keeping us informed.

[@jeanie8831]

Thank you for showing this. I don't network news has shown any of this. The larger homes up high look like they were surrounded closely by trees only, no garden, animal or cattle areas. While the smaller homesteads which probably had gardens and cattle, probably poorer plots of land were dessimated and flattened. Unbelievable a hurricane travelled this far in .

[@luv2luv720]

I thought it wasn't a hurricane by the time it hit?

[@WMGIII]

@@luv2luv720 technically it was a tropical storm with hurricane force wind gusts. Also, higher elevations catch more wind in tropical systems.

[@michaelarrowood4315]

Helene was at hurricane strength until it reached central Georgia. In WNC it was at tropical storm strength, winds below 75 mph. I'm not aware of any hurricane in recorded history crossing into the western part of the state... though Hurricane Hugo in 1989 might have still been classified as a hurricane when it reached Charlotte. I don't know the answer to that - but trees in the Charlotte area were flattened in the wind direction, like the forest sections shown here.

[@Peachy08]

This is so sad. My heart breaks for them.

[@bevgordon7619]

Those lone houses surrounded by dead fallen trees scattered like match or pick up sticks..so haunting...i imagine it all devoid of any signs of life. Not the conspicuous trees, but no birds flitting and singing. It’s like a war zone, scorched earth

[@nevadadan4113]

Pretty unbelievable how much destruction this caused, my heart seriously aches for those effected!!

[@josephdrbohlav5705]

I'm down the mountain a few miles in Spartanburg County of upstate South Carolina. I have (had?) 3.5 acres of mixed virgin forest comprised mostly of shortleaf pine, red oak, white oak, and hickory. When Helene came through she completely wiped out a swath through the middle elevation of my property--wiping out just about every tree in this swath of about 1 acre. I have trees down on top of trees and it is depressing to see what were once majestic oak trees completely on the ground. I keep telling myself that some of the younger trees will now get a chance at getting some sunlight, but I won't ever see it fully recover in my lifetime. I am thankful, though, as many lost much more than I did.

[@gwimmy7992]

I feel for you, I am in the same position in one of the coves pictured in this video. It's hard to talk to people about it because you know it will never be the same beautiful place you worked hard to create, care for and plan to live out your live there. I cry everyday about it. I'm glad your okay.

[@jamesadkins1780]

Thanks for sharing. I thought this was mostly a flooding event. I had no idea there was so much deforestation.

[@vincentfalcone9218]

Insane that Helene was only a Tropical storm at this point. However these ridges were definitely receiving gusts well into Category 1 range and there were likely some embedded tornadoes as well. Combine that with the oversaturated soil, largely from the precursor rain event that dumped upwards of a foot before Helene even arrived - and you have a recipe for destruction.

[@daisyb282]

Add to it weapons from space.

[@AlohaChips]

Dang, winds were still 100mph by time it got to the Appalachians?? I thought the major issue was "just" the flooding and landslides. Terrible. Hopefully the trees that managed to stay standing, even if they did get stripped of leaves, will still come back next year.

[@rustysdirtworks8398]

This will flood the timber market, driving the price even lower, hurting people there, more

[@gregs778]

In my opinion the storm wasn't as forecasted as it could have been. I needed to hear Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel say...Hey! This is going to be a category one hurricane!!

[@TheSwissChalet]

@@rustysdirtworks8398 you have no knowledge of how the lumber market works, do you? Have you tried to harvest lumber from a steep mountainside that has no roads on it? Yeah, it’s not that easy. Try getting the equipment up there. Try getting the fuel there. Oh by the way that’s private land…you don’t own it and people can’t just mosey on in and pull dead trees out, it doesn’t work like that. And see how that affects your extraction cost.

[@carolmoline6490]

Trees will recover faster than the people

[@davemalinak6802]

@@gregs778 I heard it was going to be a historic event ,cat 1 inland hurricane, days in advance.

[@OceanDreamer59]

With all those trees down, the soil will be very unstable with the next big rain.

[@tamiiymchristine]

I don't think so. The roots are intact. The leaves and the weak trees were blown down by the wind.

[@Turk_2023]

@@tamiiymchristine Considering there were already multiple mudslides, I would be paranoid every time it rains, or especially spring thaw.

[@WestVirginiasBigred271]

@@tamiiymchristinemost of the trees were uprooted and when it rains there's nothing to hold the water so flooding will be pretty common throughout the next couple of years.

[@AstraLuna-o9i]

@@WestVirginiasBigred271depends on whether or not all the grass and other shrubs were uprooted. Usually landslides and flash flooding increase after a fire, because it takes out all the vegetation.

[@oriolesfan7807]

Almost like what SoCal looked like after their wildfires.

[@terryallan6811]

It leaves me speechless seeing the destruction left behind by these storms. It makes you realize how powerless we humans really are when we come face to face with mother nature.

[@daisyb282]

Lucifer, the god if this world and many followers with their evil plans.

[@Spoke76]

A local here in East TN commented to me the reason why this hurricane was so devasting was it moved in a South to North direction. Not the usual East to West where the Appalachians stop the hurricane from going up and over. Completely made sense.

[@dianebeier8379]

Heartbreaking to see this, prayers for the healing of people, and nature...😢😢😢😢❤❤❤

[@cbass2755]

Mother Nature can be so cruel. I can’t believe that home stood at the beginning of this wonderful documentary. Nice work 👍 So many people just don’t understand if they don’t watch utube

[@rickslaye4234]

I bet it’s 50 50 damage of wind and erosion! Very sad! I hope they make a video of same area in spring to see how much nature and new growth comes back!

[@graalcloud]

That's at the top of Beaver Dam, I took a ride up there a few days ago and couldn't believe the amount of fallen trees. At my house in Weaverville it barely even got rainy and windy, it's like nothing happened here.

[@Graygranma]

Kind of looks like it did in NW Florida six years ago when Cat-5 Hurricane Michael destroyed & devastated our timber industry. Our land is basically flat & there wasn’t many trees left standing. The logging industry was decimated, many lost their livelihood & practically every house in three counties was damaged & had blue plastic roofs for months. We were also without electricity for 9-10 days & no TV or Internet for up to 6 months. It will take many many more to fully recover. This is our life here in Florida. We live in a constant state of uncertainty & an emotional roller coaster during hurricane season. I’m not trying to diminish anyone’s pain & suffering, my heart goes out to those affected & do know we are praying for you all.

[@terrygalvin9653]

All the wind that hits a mountain is forced up to the peak, one of the reasons upwind sides of slopes, especially peaks, have stronger, more destructive wind.

[@BeardOperator]

I’m on the down slope of a mountain here and there is trees blown down the mountain in huge patches as well off Mt Pisgah to the west.

[@marlenalinne]

I live in the midwest where tornadoes are quite common and the destruction to the trees look like tornado damage. And tornadoes are DEVIOUS!! The wind isn't straight-line, but circular like a blender. I once saw a two-story farmhouse that was missing the entire south exterior wall. Nothing else was touched, though, including the bedspreads on the beds and the lamps on the night stands. It looked like the dollhouse I had when I was little. The trees in the yard were untouched, too, but the woods across the road was flattened. Debris from the house was never found.

[@Resist.Tyranny]

Wow! I lived in Western North Carolina for a couple years. Sad to see. I get that drenched soils don't hold roots down as well and trees can topple in the wind, but I don't get the leafless part of standing trees. Did the wind just blow so hard it blew all the leaves off? Was it from excessive tornadoes? I've seen footage from after strong hurricanes and even low-grade tornadoes where there were still leaves on the trees. Confused. Even in this footage, there are whole patches of trees that are just fine and then a clear line of leaflessness. That seems to say to me tornado.

[@zuzuspetals923]

I, too, have been confused about this. One commenter who said he is a lifelong WNC resident & has hiked these mountains extensively, wrote that there are huge swaths of forest that are/were already dead from disease and/or insect activity. That, to me, would explain the lack of leaf litter, which I should think would still be discernable even weeks after the storm. (?) So, it makes sense to me that many forested areas where blow-down & wind direction are most obvious may have been mostly standing dead timber before the storm. Edit: I have also heard, from several sources whom I would consider credible, that some tornadic activity was likely spawned within the storm, as well

[@Greatdome99]

Those are hardwood trees, which take 3x longer to grow than pine trees. After the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in WA in 1980, Weyerhaeuser went in and harvested as much usable blown over timber as they could. The Tacoma Dome stadium was constructed entirely of fallen timber from Mt St. Helens. I suspect loggers will try to harvest as much of these hardwoods as economically possible.

[@JamesPilkenton-se5cx]

I stayed in a lodge in 1991 with helicopter loggers near Yosemite National Park. They were logging the burn zone there. They told me about the St. Helen area they worked it for 5years.

[@gwimmy7992]

I live in the one of these coves, my house is actually in this video. How do you get loggers to come harvest this tangled destruction?

[@carolynpeisert218]

Ohhhh...I have been so focused on the devastation of human life....I forgot about all of our beautiful trees 😢

[@srandyt2]

There used to be a sign on the BRP near here talking about the fact that Hugo reached that spot. I think it was near Boone. Please correct me on the location.

[@bluegrasscheryl]

Wow, I know tornadoes usually don't occur in mountainous areas, but I can't imagine how high those winds were to take down all those trees like that! It would sure be great if they could use all that tree fall for lumber to rebuild for these people.

[@acaring2440]

❤❤❤

[@mattlloyd9054]

We had high winds and damage north of there in Claypool hill va but nothing like that! Wow that'll take decades to grow back.

[@patmcbride9853]

20-30 years ago, the property next to mine was a large pasture. It's nothing but trees and bushes now. Nature will rebuild.

[@Time4truth24]

Need to set up Saw Mills -- Build homes, the wood is there to build homes for people! Anyone out there with Saw Mill experience or a Saw Mill ? Use draft horses, Mules like Old Timers. I am on West Coast a Guy runs his Saw Mill with a Chevy Engine... Can be done!

[@SparkyOne549]

Can’t use green wood for building homes, takes years for wood to be ready for construction.

[@terribishop2583]

@@SparkyOne549 It can be done in a few months if you build the right storage thing. Something like a dehumidifier/kiln that uses sunshine to speed the drying process. Sorry I don't know the name of it.

[@benscoles5085]

@@terribishop2583 the building you are referring to is a 'KILN', run properly they can dry lumber pretty quickly,

[@SHREDTILLDEAD]

​@@benscoles5085 Would it be anything like a " kiln " ?

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

Yeah build more houses on a mountainside so the next storm can wash them away.... No wonder America has the reputation it does

[@Lindy.T]

I live barely 3 miles north of this disaster in Bat Cave, NC and noticed this past decade or two depleted top soils and dying trees along the Broad River. My spring used to get cleaned out twice a year (big aluminum trough) but now needs it every 6-8 weeks especially after a rain as the sand piles up in it. Those waters, mud, landslides all need to be tested for aluminum, barium and strontium which are used in the solar radiation management experiments. They've been testing in this area along the Eastern Continental Divide since about 2010.

[@PaulTrippy-bj8ho]

big boy developers are loving this

[@Haffy1952]

Looks like that storm packed some tornadic activity not just the wind from the hurricane.

[@davidsawyer6003]

I live in the Blueridge on the Eastern side of the storm and any heavy rain will fall trees on the mountain side without any wind. All the roads around me will have fallen trees after every hard rainfall. This one was exceptional. During this storm I could hear trees falling in the forest all around me. Bear in mind I don't live where the heavy damage occurred.

[@Haffy1952]

@@davidsawyer6003 Glad you are ok. Heard this from a meteorologist who mentioned it. For sure there isn't much topsoil on those mountainsides to hold the soil together.

[@RobertYarbrough-b2r]

Incredible!

[@loriwitmer6596]

Wow!! Thats terrible.

[@jcoleman1058]

Following Hurricane Hugo, Logging Helicopters worked for Weeks north and east of Charleston S.C hauling downed Pine Tress out of the Forest. These are some of the Largest Helicopters in use. I watched them while fishing in the Cooper river, that runs inland from the Ocean. They did clear the Forrest but the devastation to timber was comparable to that in N.C.

[@Russ.H.]

Were many trees already dead standing or weak from disease? Can't believe the amount down it had to hit hard, praying for you all.

[@gwimmy7992]

No the trees were not dead, I live here and as property owners we all cared for and maintained a healthy old growth forest.

[@daisyb282]

Weapons from space. You have no idea

[@bethmendoza1847]

What were they spraying at4:22?

[@wittelkenneth]

I think you are looking at a wood chipper.

[@skatpak2967]

so sh shocking to see from above jee whizz!!!!! you can see which way the wind blew and the path its insane!! thanks for doing this

[@coleengogerty3852]

There is the original storm that brought a foot of rain or more that fell all the way at the tops of the mountains. That totally saturated the ground. Then you add even more rain and then high sustained winds. A lot of these trees don’t have super deep root balls because of the type of rock on the mountains. These trees were in saturated soil with shallower roots and the wind just blew them down like dominos. You can see the root balls still attached to most of the downed trees. And then there was the mudslides as well. All together it literally made the perfect storm. All the ingredients for a shocking disaster. They would be smart to use as much of that timber for lumber as possible rather than waste it if possible. Try to clear some of that out so they don’t have a bunch of matchsticks to top it off.

[@RobertYarbrough-b2r]

Possible later firestorm if dry and windy next spring?

[@barbrice721]

And the dams that were opened.

[@davidsawyer6003]

True, people that only watch the mainstream news for their information have been misinformed as usual. Listen to the people that live here.

[@jeanie8831]

Thank you.

[@claraisely9397]

Also our forests are dying due to fallout from weather modification spraying the atmosphere. Aluminium kills the roots. What is it doing to the brains of humans? Stop ✋ geoengineering🌏🌎🌍🌲🌲🌲😳

[@ladykatza]

Maybe a little bit of glimmer in all this, the way the trees have been blown down and will likely remain fallen will give many animals habitat, help return those nutrients to the soil, act as a catchment for more normal rainfall. The pines will spring up fastest and shield the hardwoods as they come back up. Some management may need to be done to help prevent fires if there's too dry a season, but nature is more suited to recovering from this type of devastation than it is with clear cutting and development.

[@suebee1436]

I think i agree with this concept actually.

[@ladykatza]

@@suebee1436 one of my autistic special interests is regenerative agriculture. Pulling trees over like this is how they are trying to restore diversity in the former timberlands/logging forests in the UK, it artificially mimics what a large storm would do

[@graalcloud]

This is by far the dumbest comment I've read on the internet in years. None of that will happen. What's going to happen is this area will be deforested and many people will sell their properties.

[@deirdrepasko9056]

Absolutely SICKENING and HEARTBREAKING!!! All those Old Growth trees, Gone! 😫Houses now in Full sun. Massive swaths......odd how this hurricane worked. Where's the wildlife? How many dens were flooded or caved in? How many nests disintegrated? The destruction is devastating.😭😭😭 💔💔💔

[@bevgordon7619]

As many are pointing out- all this massive deforestation and future serious rainfalls will mean more horrible mud/debris slides- But also all this kindling to feed any forest/mountain fires is equally scary to think about for this and other similar regions

[@stephaniemccoy6562]

Hurricanes in the mountains.... Who would have thought?😐 that house is a miracle that every tree missed hitting their home...thank you lord!!

[@Ladybugannabanana]

Where exactly is this at?

[@zombie2592]

Some of those hillsides look like Tunguska. I suspect the wind tunneling resulted in speeds well over 100mph.

[@scooterrockets7815]

And not even a shingle out of place on those homes.

[@zuzuspetals923]

@@zombie2592 I've been racking my brain for where I've seen pictures of what this reminds me of, and you hit the nail on the head: Tunguska it is ! And yes, in the description, the publisher says the storm was still packing 100mph winds when it came through the mountains.

[@dannypowers4995]

One thing for sure. Do Not issue any building permits in the flood areas. History repeats itself. May God Bless these people and there familes.

[@rebeccapowell5020]

Majority of the properties decimated were NOT in flood zones.

[@dannypowers4995]

@@rebeccapowell5020 they are now.

[@spacelemur7955]

Some observations: * Almost of these trees were equally young. It looks like this mountain had been clear-cut a few decades ago. There is a lack of giant, old, well-rooted trees to protect the rest. * There are no old stumps. This would indicate that the stumps and main roots were "harvested" for the wood pulp. * There was an extremely thin topsoil horizon, also indicative of the two preceding points * The houses looked recent, too, as if the logging roads were used in selling housing lots. Conclusion: an overly aggressive past forestry helped make this mountain side more prone to wind and rain damage than is seen where a an older, selectively logged forest would be more robust.

[@graalcloud]

That's all accurate. But basically this is the case for 99+% of America. Everything was logged.

[@clubfishersd]

I just think of not only what everyone up there has to deal with but the stripping of all the food sources and shelter for all the animals and birds. Any stripped mountains are going to pose future risks because there's less roots to hold on to the earth.

[@graalcloud]

Many of what appear to be dead trees will grow back. In the 1800s graveyard fields had a large fire. Many old growth trees burned. But if you look around you will see they are still there, they grew back. There are many trees there with massive stumps and an array of main stalks instead of one where the old growth trees grew back at the roots. You can cut a plant down but if the roots are still healthy it will grow back, but it will take a long time.

[@fredericklegrande4564]

Are the trees down because of wind or washout?

[@KaileyB616]

A combination, but anything you're seeing up on the mountain side is mostly wind

[@lindaheckert3183]

Curious, are the downed trees from the wind or water? Such a large scale damage, incomprehensible.

[@securethebag1613]

Wind did this? U left out the reason. The most important part

[@Turk_2023]

I bet everyone who has a place on that mountain is looking to get out. Imagine being there during that and hearing the trees breaking, rocks falling, and mudslides all around you. You could only wonder is the earth under your house next to slide down that mountain at a velocity so powerful it can make a car look like a crushed aluminum can. Will I have time to get out the way if a boulder comes toward my home. How many more trees can my roof handle before it caves in on me.

[@28704joe]

I bet you are wrong.

[@JasonMyers-c6z]

I'm sure they're very thankful to still be alive. I'd rather be on a mountain top as opposed to being vulnerable in the valley.

[@ledheadkustomplastic3442]

IF IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.... NO matter where you live, you can't hide from your fate,🤔👍🇺🇲🙏🏻GOD HELP US ALL 🙏🏻

[@MarcCardwell]

We own a house on a mountain side at about 3300, lucky no damage. The views up there are awesome, and one day soon we'll live there full time. No plans to sell for me.

[@TheSwissChalet]

I bet you are a coward.

[@TheFineLine920]

Hard to wrap your brain around this! 😢

[@exrayz3137]

I would really be interested in microscopic study of the bark, leaves, and soil in the area affected with a comparison of the immediate area undamaged. looking for strange anomalies.

[@SKarlaArt]

Why just looking for a conspiracy

[@jenburkholder6541]

Na, he's more science minded. I don't think you'd understand.

[@graalcloud]

@@jenburkholder6541 Science is gay

[@jenburkholder6541]

@@graalcloud I'm certain science doesn't have a sexual orientation.

[@graalcloud]

@@jenburkholder6541 Butt sex is not a sexual orientation, there is no such thing as sexual orientation. There are only normal people who have normal relations and then there are abnormal relations.

[@onetuliptree]

When I visited Siesta Key in Florida, someone told me the white sand beaches were formed from crystals washed down from the Appalachian mountains. This storm makes it easier to see how it happened.

[@ryandeegan2548]

Elk mountain scenic highway. We sheltered at my parents' home at the bottom of this road after the storm once the roads were clear enough to flee my neighborhood.

[@papasquat355]

High winds over already saturated grounds were a recipe for disaster. We lost 100 trees in our yard thanks to those winds.

[@danielwilliams7670]

I’ve got to get started replanting. So many of our 2nd Growth Forest trees have fallen😓😢

[@kentuckylisa1380]

So sad 😢

[@fotodiva1]

Is this weather warfare? Like Paradise, CA and Maui?

[@CarolStJohn-ev9ry]

Wow, life there is going to be precarious for a long time, particularly mudslides and falling trees. What kind of trees are they? I'm so sorry for the good folks there.

[@M2020-s5x]

Can you fly the same route next spring to see how nature revitalizes itself? You say yes and I subscribe! Thank you in advance

[@spiritnsage]

Gonna be a bad fire season too.....

[@Inkling777]

For those forests, recovery will take years. I stayed a summer on Tobago a decade after the 1963 hurricane Flora devastated the island. The forests still had not recovered. In some places the trees had been stripped bare. In others they'd survived.

[@Iforgotthisfr]

To be honest if there were 100 mph winds some trees would still be in good shape i think there might have been some tornados that ripped off vegitation off the trees

[@claudiavonkroge3604]

Oh my gosh! Unbelievable! Looks like another planet… And, oh my god, if another heavy rainfall will fall, there is nothing to hold the ground back…

[@ashthovex1882]

Go drive up Shope Creek off Riceville rd and fly your drone up the valley up to Lane Pinnacle on the Parkway. Extreme windfall for the ENTIRE area.