Duke Energy recently opened a fourth gate at the Cowans Ford Dam, which represents about one-third of the dam’s total gates, in an effort to manage rising lake levels as water continues to move south from areas affected by the storm. Lake Norman and Lake Wylie are expected to maintain their “full pond level.”

An incident involving a semi-truck and a downed tree has closed I-85 in Gaston County on Friday morning. The incident happened on I-85 South near Exit 19 to Ozark Avenue, Gastonia Police said. Police said traffic is being diverted onto Ozark Avenue.

Gaston County can expect heavy rain, especially late Thursday night and Friday morning, but the Tropical Storm Helene's impact on Gaston is expected to be less severe than what is expected in the mountains,

While the rain has stopped, the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene continue to impact our area. This is due to the continuous threat of rivers rising, making flooding a major concern. Families in Gaston County told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon they are keeping a close eye on the South Fork River.