Downed trees close major roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, officials say

UPDATE: As of Jan. 10, Laurel Creek Road and Little River Road have reopened after being cleared of trees, the National Park Service reports. The other roads remain closed.

The original story is below.

Major roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have closed Tuesday, Jan. 9, due to trees toppled by a fierce storm crossing the Southeastern United States, according to the National Park Service.

Among the closures is Newfound Gap Road, which is the key artery through the park between Tennessee and North Carolina.

Also closed are: the Foothills Parkway (west); Little River Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Metcalf Bottoms; Laurel Creek Road; Cades Cove Loop Road; Cherokee Orchard Road; Greenbrier Road; Tremont Road and Lakeview Drive, the park said.

The 522,427-acre park is home to some of the largest and oldest hardwood forests in the eastern U.S., and the trees are particularly vulnerable when heavy rain saturates the soil, experts say.

High wind advisories have been issued for the Appalachian Mountains, with winds of 35 to 45 mph expected and gusts of up to 85 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Two inches of rain had fallen as of 9 a.m. Tuesday and another inch was forecast, officials said.

“People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows,” forecasters say.

“Heavy rainfall is also expected at times with this system this morning, which may result in localized flooding.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency ahead of the storm, noting tornadoes, flooding and widespread power outages may occur Tuesday.

This story was originally published January 9, 2024 at 7:34 AM with the headline "Downed trees close major roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, officials say."