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   NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR   
   800 AM CDT WED MAR 18 2015   
      
   THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED MARCH 15 THROUGH MARCH 21   
   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.   
      
   TODAYS 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. 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.   
      
   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 NOREASTERS 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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