The National Weather Service, in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, has proclaimed the week of February 24th through March 2nd as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Arkansas. A different topic will be discussed each day, and todays topic is flooding. High water usually comes in two phases: flash flooding and riverflooding. Flash floods usually occur within six hours. The rate of rainfall exceeds the rate of runoff; that is, rain falls faster than it can be carried away. Because water has nowhere to go, it covers roads and fills small streams and creeks.
In the last 30 years, flash flooding was the deadliest thunderstorm hazard, and caused more fatalities than tornadoes and lightning. There are an average of 80 to 90 fatalities annually due to flash floods across the country.
Roughly half of flash flood deaths occur when people try to drive through flooded areas. Moving water two feet deep is sufficient to carry away most vehicles, even pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.
Tomorrow we focus on Lighting.