****************************************************************
SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NORTH CAROLINA
FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05
****************************************************************
This week has been declared North Carolina's Severe Weather Awareness Week for
2011.
Today’s topic will be flooding. Flood related deaths are a serious nationwide problem.
Nationwide...flooding causes more fatalities than any other type of severe weather.
Several factors contribute to flooding. The two main factors are the intensity of rainfall and
how long rain occurs over any given location. Urbanization...topography...soil type and soil
moisture also play roles in the severity of flood conditions.
Flooding in North Carolina can result from several different weather situations. Slow
moving thunderstorms can repeatedly move over the same location resulting in rapid flash
flooding...or days of steady rain can cause creeks and rivers to flood over large areas.
Lastly, any thunderstorm moving across metropolitan or urbanized areas can cause flash
flooding due to the amount of runoff generated by highly developed areas.
Rushing water in the form of a flash flood can quickly become deadly. Just a few inches of
fast-moving flood water can knock you off of your feet while just one to two feet of moving
water can overtake a car forcing it off the road. The combination of the force of flowing
water and buoyancy floating a vehicle make driving into flood waters extremely
dangerous. Just one foot of water will float most cars and wash them away downstream.
Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. When approaching water flowing over the road,
turn around and go the other way. Turn around…don’t drown.
Flooding is dangerous any time of day…but most dangerous at night when it is difficult to
see. In many cases drivers come upon flooded areas and drive into flood waters faster
than they can react. Limited visibility at night makes it not only more difficult to see flood
waters, but also nearly impossible to gage water depth. In many cases drivers who enter
the water severely misjudge the depth and strength of the flood waters. Once a vehicle or
person is washed downstream, rescue can be difficult and puts even more people at risk.
Knowing your area's flood risk at home and work is also very important. Check your
homeowner's or renter's insurance. Many policies do not cover flooding and many areas
across North Carolina are subject to flooding although not officially declared within a
flood plain. Just because flood damage is not in your insurance policy does not mean your
house cannot flood.
Before rain and flood waters threaten...evaluate your flood risk and know where you will
go if you need to evacuate. Many times your escape route can flood before your house as
roads nearby experience flooding. Also realize, just because areas around your home
have never flooded before does not mean you will never experience a flood. Also realize
the roads between your home, work or school may flood threatening your normal
commute. Always be careful driving during or just after periods of heavy rain.
When flooding is possible, the National Weather Service will issue a Flood Watch. This
tells you to remain alert to the possibility of heavy rain and flooding. Once a flash flood
warning is issued, then it is time to take action. When a warning is issued for your area,
it means that flooding has been reported or is imminent. This is the time to closely monitor
the situation and move quickly if flood waters threaten.
If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Move to a safe location before access is cut off
by flood waters. Never allow children to play around high water, creeks...streams or storm
drains.
When heavy rain and flooding threatens your area, stay informed by listening to NOAA
weather radio, local television and radio.
More flood safety information can be flood online by visiting
http://floodsafety.noaa.gov
.
http://tadd.weather.gov/
