Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
600 AM CST Wed Mar 08 2023

...Today's Topic for Flood Safety Awareness Week is Flood
Hazards...

The National Weather Service, in cooperation with the Arkansas
Division of Emergency Management, has proclaimed the week of
March 6th through 10th as Flood Safety Awareness Week in Arkansas.
Each day during the week will feature information about a
different flood related topic.

...Flood Hazards...

A flood is defined as any high flow, overflow, or inundation of
water that causes or threatens damage. Flooding can occur with
prolonged rainfall over several days, intense rainfall over a short
period of time, or when water from an existing source moves too
quickly. Brief descriptions of the various types of flooding you may experience are found below.

Flash Flooding: Flash flooding is a rapid and extreme flow of high
water into a normally dry area, or a rapid water level rise in a
stream or creek above a predetermined flood level beginning within
six hours of the causative event (such as intense rainfall, dam
failure, or ice jam).

River Flooding: River flooding occurs when rivers rise and overflow
their banks, inundating areas that are normally dry.

Tropical Systems: At any time of the year, a storm from over the
ocean can bring heavy precipitation to the coast and move inland
across the midsouth. Whether such a storm is tropical or not,
prolonged periods of heavy precipitation can cause freshwater
flooding as the storm system moves inland.

Burn Scars/Debris Flows: Wildfires burn away the vegetation of
an area, leaving behind bare ground that tends to repel water.
When rain falls, it runs off a burn scar towards a low lying area
sometimes carrying branches, soil, and other debris along with it.
Without vegetation to hold the soil in place, flooding can produce
mud and debris flows.

Snowmelt: Flooding due to snowmelt most often occurs in the spring
when warming temperatures quickly melt the snow. The water runs
off the still partially frozen or already saturated ground into
nearby streams and rivers, causing them to rapidly rise and
sometimes overflow their banks.

Dam Break and Levee Failure: A break or failure can occur with
little to no warning. Most often they are caused by water
overtopping the structure, excessive seepage through the
surrounding ground, or a structural failure.

&&

Understanding the different flood hazards and knowing the actions
to take before, during, and afterwards can help you protect your
life, the lives of your loved ones, and the your property. Prepare
now by visiting www.weather.gov/safety/flood

$$
---
* Synchronet * The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)