Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented devastation across western North Carolina on September 27, 2024, becoming the costliest natural disaster in the state's history. After making landfall in Florida, Helene weakened but still traversed Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane before entering the Appalachian mountains as a tropical storm. This inland trajectory resulted in record-breaking and "off the charts" rainfall across several towns, including Asheville, Swannanoa, Spruce Pine, and Chimney Rock, with Mount Mitchell recording 24.41 inches (620 mm) and another station requiring verification for a staggering 31.33 inches (796 mm) over three days. The catastrophic rainfall led to at least 108 reported deaths, five missing persons, widespread flooding, numerous destructive mudslides, and significant damage to infrastructure and residential areas, cutting off power, transportation, and communications for prolonged periods. Notably, the Black Mountains region was particularly hard-hit, with reports stating that Montreat and Swannanoa were "gone" and the village of Chimney Rock largely destroyed.

The severity of Helene's impact stemmed from an estimated 1.5 times more moisture being transported to western North Carolina than any prior recorded event. This exceptional moisture, combined with the region's mountainous terrain, exacerbated flooding and mudslide risks, a vulnerability historically experienced by Appalachia from weakened hurricanes despite its inland location. Adding to the destruction, several counties in western North Carolina lacked strong building codes to withstand such conditions. In addition to the direct wind and flood damage, Helene also spawned eight tornadoes across the state, including an intense low-end EF3 tornado that struck Rocky Mount, injuring 15 people. The disaster led to extensive road closures, including a section of Interstate 40 being swept away, and prompted the closures of multiple universities and state parks, underscoring the profound and widespread disruption caused by Hurricane Helene.