September 30, 2025

Western North Carolina Residents Urged to Stay Informed on Storms

Asheville, North Carolina, September 30, 2025

News Summary

As storms are expected to impact Western North Carolina, local officials emphasize the importance of utilizing emergency notification systems. These systems include Wireless Emergency Alerts, AVL Alert, and BCAlerts, which inform residents about severe weather and other critical updates. Community members are encouraged to subscribe and stay connected to receive timely alerts, especially in light of Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda predictions.

Asheville, North Carolina – As storms are predicted to impact Western North Carolina, local officials are urging residents to stay informed about emergency situations through multiple notification systems now in place. These systems are designed to provide timely alerts during severe weather conditions, including the anticipated effects of Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda.

The National Weather Service’s Greenville-Spartanburg office provides Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), which deliver weather warnings directly to cell phones at no cost. These alerts are targeted specifically to users in affected areas and feature an audio tone and vibration for prompt notification.

In addition to WEA, Asheville has implemented the AVL Alert system, which allows residents to receive both emergency and non-emergency notifications via their preferred communication channels. Upon registration, users may subscribe for emergency alerts and can update their contact information and preferences at any time through the online platform.

The BCAlerts system, powered by CodeRED, sends emergency notifications and general updates to local residents via smartphone, phone, or email. Interested individuals can sign up for BCAlerts by texting “BCAlert” to 99411 or visiting the county’s website. Notifications through BCAlerts may cover emergencies, weather conditions, recreation services, elections, and government updates. It’s important for previous Nixle subscribers to re-register for BCAlerts by June 30 to continue receiving messages.

The town of Black Mountain automatically provides emergency condition and road closure notifications to its subscribers. Meanwhile, Henderson County’s 911 Center collaborates with Nixle to offer real-time alerts through various platforms including text and email.

For residents in Hendersonville, the AlertHVL service provides free emergency notifications related to utility disruptions and traffic incidents. The recently launched Rave Alert system reaches residents through multiple channels and integrates with Smart911, which supplies emergency responders with personal and household details to ensure a swift response.

Residents wishing to sign up for Rave Alert can text “TCRave” to 67283 or visit the designated link. McDowell County residents can access alerts through its Emergency Management office, while Madison County offers community updates via cell phone or email notifications.

Yancey and Haywood counties have set up alert centers that provide emergency updates online and instantaneous notifications through “Notify Me®” or RSS feeds. Additional counties, including Mitchell and Polk, have also developed their own emergency notification systems to keep their residents informed of real-time alerts and essential community advisories.

Officials are actively promoting the use of these new notification systems to help residents stay well-informed, particularly in light of the looming storms. The community engagement offered by these various systems extends beyond emergencies, providing general service information like vaccination site notifications and schedule changes.

Emergency Notification Systems in Western North Carolina

System	Description	Registration Method
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)	Weather warnings sent to cell phones	No registration required
AVL Alert	Emergency and non-emergency notifications	Online registration
BCAlerts	Emergency notifications via CodeRED	Text “BCAlert” to 99411 or website
alertHVL	Utility disruptions and traffic incident alerts	Sign up online
Rave Alert	Multi-channel alerts integrated with Smart911	Text “TCRave” to 67283 or designated link
Emergency Management Office	Alerts for McDowell County residents	Contact office directly
Madison County Updates	Community updates via cell phone or email	Online sign-up
Yancey and Haywood Counties	Online emergency updates and notifications	Notify Me® or RSS feeds

FAQ

What are Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)?

WEA notifications are specifically targeted to users in affected areas and include an audio tone and vibration for alerts.

How can residents subscribe to BCAlerts?

Residents can sign up for BCAlerts by texting “BCAlert” to 99411 or visiting the county’s website.

What kind of information do AlertHVL notifications cover?

AlertHVL provides free emergency notifications about utility disruptions and traffic incidents.

What is the Rave Alert system?

The recently launched Rave Alert system transmits messages through multiple channels and integrates with Smart911, offering personal and household information to emergency responders.