Flooding is the biggest severe weather killer, even more so than tornadoes. Most flash flood deaths happen at night. That’s when flooded roads are the hardest to see.
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There many different alerts issued by the National Weather Service to warn the public of their flooding risk. Here's how they break down:
- Flash Flood Warning: Take Action. A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. Move to higher ground if you are in an area prone to flooding. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It's even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.
- Flood Warning: Take Action. A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event or flooding is imminent or already happening.
- Flood Watch: Be Prepared. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
- Flood Advisory: Be Aware. An Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience.
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Flood safety tips:
- Never try to walk through flowing water. Six inches of moving water can sweep you off your feet.
- Never try to drive through a flooded road. Only 18 inches can float a large SUV and even less for a smaller car. You and your car can be swept into a deeper area. You could easily find yourself trapped.
- Avoid power lines and electrical wires. Electrical current can move through water and cause electrocution.
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