PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   0800 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014   
      
   THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) HAS DECLARED MARCH 16 THROUGH   
   MARCH 22 AS FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER   
   SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK WILL FEATURE INFORMATION ABOUT A DIFFERENT   
   FLOOD TOPIC EACH DAY DURING THE AWARENESS WEEK.   
      
   TODAY`S TOPIC: FLOODS 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 (I.E. SNOWMELT...DAM BREAK...ETC.). BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF   
   THE VARIOUS TYPES OF FLOODING YOU MAY EXPERIENCE ARE FOUND BELOW.   
   MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE FLOOD HAZARDS CAN BE FOUND ON THE NWS   
   FLOOD SAFETY WEBSITE AT WWW.FLOODSAFETY.NOAA.GOV.   
      
   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 (I.E. INTENSE RAINFALL...DAM   
   FAILURE...ICE JAM).   
      
   RIVER FLOODING: RIVER FLOODING OCCURS WHEN RIVERS RISE AND OVERFLOW   
   THEIR BANKS...INUNDATING AREAS THAT ARE NORMALLY DRY.   
      
   TROPICAL SYSTEMS AND COASTAL FLOODING: AT ANY TIME OF YEAR...A STORM   
   FROM OVER THE OCEAN CAN BRING HEAVY PRECIPITATION TO THE U.S.   
   COASTS. WHETHER SUCH A STORM IS TROPICAL OR NOT...PROLONGED PERIODS   
   OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION CAN CAUSE FRESHWATER FLOODING IN COASTAL   
   AREAS...AS WELL AS FURTHER INLAND AS THE STORM MOVES ONSHORE. IN   
   ADDITION TO THE FRESHWATER FLOOD THREAT...TROPICAL SYSTEMS AND   
   NOR`EASTERS CAN BRING THE THREAT OF STORM SURGE RELATED COASTAL   
   FLOODING.   
      
   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.   
      
   ICE AND DEBRIS JAMS: A BACKUP OF WATER INTO SURROUNDING AREAS CAN   
   OCCUR WHEN A RIVER OR STREAM IS BLOCKED BY A BUILD UP OF ICE OR   
   OTHER DEBRIS.   
      
   DRY WASH: WHEN HEAVY RAIN FALLS OVER DRY LAND...THE WATER RUSHES   
   TOWARDS LOW LYING AREAS...WHICH MAY INCLUDE DRIED UP CANYON OR   
   STREAM BEDS. THIS CAN QUICKLY TURN A DRY CHANNEL INTO A RAGING RIVER.   
      
   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 YOUR PROPERTY.  PREPARE   
   NOW BY VISITING WWW.FLOODSAFETY.NOAA.GOV   
      
   JOIN US TOMORROW FOR INFORMATION ON FLOOD RELATED SERVICES PROVIDED   
   BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.   
      
   TABITHA CLARKE   
   TABITHA.CLARKE@NOAA.GOV   
   SENIOR SERVICE HYDROLOGIST   
   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK   
      
      
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