Twin States Weather Blog

Flood Awareness Week

* With some potential for heavy rains this weekend, I thought I'd pass along this note I received from the National Weather Service in Jackson:

NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL HOST THE SECOND ANNUAL FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK FROM MARCH 20 TO MARCH 24 TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF FLOODING. FLOODS KILL MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR. TO EMPHASIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING, RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL DAVID L. JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF
NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATED...

"NO STATE OR TERRITORY IS IMMUNE FROM THE DANGERS OF FLOODING BUT, KNOWING HOW TO REACT WHEN FLOODS THREATEN CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH."

PART OF NOAA'S CONTINUING MISSION IS TO SERVE INCREASING NEEDS FOR WEATHER AND WATER INFORMATION. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT JACKSON MS STRIVES TO IMPROVE FLOOD FORECASTS AND WARNINGS FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS, NORTHEAST LOUISIANA, AND MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED DURING THE WEEK INCLUDE...


MONDAY MARCH 20 - ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE.

THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE (AHPS) IS AN ONGOING EFFORT OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO MODERNIZE HYDROLOGIC SERVICES FOR EVENTS RANGING FROM FLOODS TO DROUGHTS. AHPS EXTENDS THE RANGE AND QUANTIFIES THE CERTAINTY OF RIVER FORECASTS. IT ALSO PROVIDES TIMELY, USER FRIENDLY GRAPHICAL PRODUCTS AND TEXT PRODUCTS ON THE INTERNET. FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS, NORTHEAST LOUISIANA, AND
MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. , RIVER STAGE FORECASTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE WITH HISTORICAL SITE DATA. TO ACCESS THESE RIVER FORECASTS AND OTHER HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION GO TO: (USE LOWER CASE) HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN CLICK ON...RIVERS & LAKES AHPS


TUESDAY MARCH 21 - "TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN".

PEOPLE OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCE OF WATER. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL FLOOD-RELATED DEATHS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO VEHICLES THAT ARE SWEPT DOWNSTREAM. MOST VEHICLES LOSE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD IN SIX INCHES OF WATER AND CAN BE SWEPT AWAY IN 18 TO 24 INCHES OF WATER. MANY FLOOD-RELATED DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE. SIMPLY DO NOT DRIVE OR WALK INTO FLOODED AREAS. REMEMBER, WHEN APPROACHING A FLOODED ROADWAY,
TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.


WEDNESDAY MARCH 22 - TROPICAL CYCLONE INLAND FLOODING.

WIDESPREAD FLOODING CAN RESULT FROM HURRICANES, TROPICAL STORMS, AND THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORMS. TROPICAL CYCLONES CAN CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN CREEKS, STREAMS, AND URBAN AREAS WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OR HOURS OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. STREETS CAN BECOME SWIFT MOVING RIVERS AND UNDERPASSES CAN BECOME DEATH TRAPS. MODERATE TO MAJOR RIVER
FLOODING CAN OCCUR WITH HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SLOW MOVING INLAND TROPICAL CYCLONES.


THURSDAY MARCH 23 - DETERMINING FLOOD RISK AND FLOOD INSURANCE.

FLOOD LOSSES ARE NOT TYPICALLY COVERED IN HOMEOWNER INSURANCE POLICIES. HOWEVER, FLOOD INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE TO PROPERTY OWNERS IN COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. FEMA FLOOD HAZARD MAPS ENABLE CONSUMERS TO DETERMINE THEIR RISK AND CHOOSE THE
APPROPRIATE FLOOD INSURANCE.

FRIDAY MARCH 24 - FLOOD SAFETY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, ALONG WITH GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, INFORMS COMMUNITIES ON HOW TO BECOME AWARE OF FLOOD RISKS AND HOW TO REACT PROPERLY WHEN A FLOOD THREATENS. KNOWING WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A FLOOD CAN SAVE LIVES AND REDUCE PROPERTY DAMAGE. FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE BROADCAST
OVER NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

DETAILED INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE ABOVE FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK TOPICS CAN BE FOUND AT: (USE LOWER CASE LETTERS)

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/

THIS AND OTHER NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE
ONLINE AT: (USE LOWER CASE LETTERS)

HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM

posted by WTOK Weather Staff @ 4:58 PM