Flash Floods

Floods and flash floods are the NUMBER ONE weather related killer in the United States. In fact, over the past 35 years, floods have killed almost twice as many persons as tornadoes.

What causes Flash Floods ?

In New Mexico and western Texas most flash floods are the result of intense and slow moving summer and early autumn thunderstorms which drop heavy rainfall over the same location for prolonged periods of time. However remnants of hurricanes and even winter storms can cause flooding. Thus floods are possible any time of the year.

Thunderstorms can produce as much as six inches of rain within a short period of time with flooding developing very rapidly. Flash floods are powerful weather phenomena which can demolish buildings, destroy roads and bridges, and swiftly carry away cars and even large trucks and busses. Because flood conditions can develop so quickly, it is important to stay especially alert for threatening weather.

Flash flooding is especially likely near or along arroyos, dried out creek beds or even drainage ditches. Such features can rapidly become filled with water and overflow their banks, washing out roads or flooding nearby buildings.

Low lying urban or developed locations can also experience serious flooding. Paved areas such as roads or parking lots have little capacity to absorbed rainfall. Thus, streets or highways can become like swift moving rivers, washing away cars and flooding entire neighborhoods.

Canyons and areas near the foothills of mountains can become very dangerous during heavy rains. Mountainous terrain can channel water runoff into very localized areas causing dried out creeks to become raging torrents of water. Some of the worst flash floods in history have occurred when heavy rains fell along mountain slopes .

Remember...flash flooding can occur ANYWHERE, ANYTIME when heavy rains are falling.

Continued on page 6