NWS Little Rock, AR - Text Viewer

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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Little Rock AR
600 AM CDT Wed Mar 27 2024

...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 25th through 29th 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

$$

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