ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Cold and rainy conditions are expected to continue through the night Wednesday before drier and warmer conditions return Thursday.

Cooler temperatures are expected to return Friday, and another strong storm system is expected to bring widespread precipitation back to the region over the weekend.

While Buncombe County is not under a flood watch, nuisance flooding remains a possibility because of geomorphological changes and storm debris after Helene, county officials said.

Duke Energy crews are responding to numerous power outages in the area. Overnight, about 1,400 customers in Black Mountain were without power, county officials said. Motorists should drive cautiously, as downed trees and hydroplaning accidents continue to cause outages. Please slow down and give utility crews ample space as they work.

According to the Duke Energy Power Outage Map, there were 211 active power outages across the Carolinas with 2,613 customers affected — 2,595 in North Carolina and 18 in South Carolina at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Of those outages, 39 were affecting 756 customers in Buncombe County.

Several weather threats are looming, according to the National Weather Service. The first hazard is the ongoing freezing rain across portions of the northern mountains.  The next hazard is the potential for minor/nuisance flooding from multiple rounds of rainfall. Moderate rainfall will continue to saturate soils and set the stage for a low-end flood threat overnight. An additional 1-2 inches of rain with locally higher amounts up to 3 inches are possible late this evening through the overnight hours.

The Buncombe County Urban Search and Rescue and the City of Asheville Swift Water Rescue teams are staged and ready to respond should flood conditions change; no rescues have been conducted since the team activated at 7 p.m. Tuesday, county officials said.

The Asheville area forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

  • Wednesday night: Showers before 4 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 4-5 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 a.m. Temperature rising to around 46 by 5 a.m. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.
  • Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Light north wind becoming north northwest 9 to 14 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
  • Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. North northwest wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
  • Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
  • Friday night: A slight chance of rain before 4 a.m., then a slight chance of freezing rain between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m., then a chance of rain or freezing rain after 5 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
  • Saturday: Rain, mainly after 9 a.m. High near 55. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
  • Saturday night: Showers before 1 a.m., then rain after 1 a.m. Low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
  • Sunday: Rain, mainly before 4 p.m. High near 57. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.