Flood Preparedness Tips

Ernesto Nearing Puerto Rico; Fire Weather in the Northwest; Dangerous Heat in the South

Heavy rainfall from Ernesto may result in locally considerable flooding and mudslides across Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Island Wednesday. Tropical Storm Warnings remain in effect. Meanwhile, the northwestern U.S. continues to deal with locally critical fire weather concerns along with poor air quality. In the south, dangerous heat conditions continue. Read More >

Flood Safety: Before, During & After the Storm

Photo by Roger Edwards Aerial View of 12/29/15 Flooding of I-70 near Bond County, IL

…FLOOD SAFETY…

The most dangerous type of flooding is FLASH FLOODING. Most smart phones will AUTOMATICALLY receive Flash Flood Warnings from the NWS for the area you are in - even if you are travelling.
NEVER attempt to DRIVE on a flooded road - ESPECIALLY if the
water is flowing
Flash floods can develop in urban areas as well as rural locations
Flash floods typically form when excessive amounts of rain occur in a short period of time - usually an average of 1.00 to 2.00" of rain or more in less than 2 hours, depending on how moist the ground is.
Flash floods are more frequent at night in Illinois, when it is especially hard to judge the depth of the water
Flooding has been a factor in 50 deaths across Illinois since 1995, including one already in 2018. This is more than the number of people killed by tornadoes during the same period.