Flooding

Flash Flooding Can Escalate Quickly
Flood Watch versus Warning
Power of Water
How Deep is the Water?
Driving Through Flooding
Flooding: Prepare
Your Safe Place From Flooding
Helping Others
Small Decisions
3 Steps for Flash Floods
Burn Scars
Putting Your Life and Your Rescuer’s Life at Risk

Flash Flooding Can Escalate Quickly

Whether you’re on the road or camping, will you be ready for sudden flash flooding? Make sure to enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone. If flooding occurs while you’re outdoors, immediately get to higher ground, and NEVER enter flood waters in a vehicle or on foot.

Flash flooding can escalate quickly. Heavy rain can lead to sudden flash floods, whether you're on the road or at a campground. Will you be ready? Set up a way to get weather warnings on your phone. When alerted to a flash flood, get to higher ground immediately. Never enter flood waters in a vehicle or on foot.

Flood Watch versus Warning

A Flood WATCH means Be Prepared. A Flood WARNING means Take Action!

Flood Watch means be prepared. A Flood Watch is issued when flooding is possible. Stay tuned to trusted news sources and be ready to seek higher ground. Flood Warning means take action! A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is happening or about to happen. Move to higher ground immediately! Never drive or walk through flood waters.

Power of Water

Don’t underestimate the power of water. It only takes 6 inches of fast-moving water to knock over and carry away an adult, and 12 inches to carry away a small car. Turn Around Don’t Drown!

Don't underestimate the power of water! 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock over and carry away an adult. 12 inches of fast-moving water can carry away a small car. 18-24 inches of fast-moving water can carry away most large SUVs, vans and trucks.

How Deep is the Water?

NEVER drive or walk into floodwaters. It is impossible to know how deep the water is just by looking at it. Turn Around Don’t Drown!

Do you really know how deep the water is? 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock over and carry away an adult. 12 inches of fast-moving water can carry away a small car. 18-24 inches of fast-moving water can carry away most large SUVs, vans and trucks.

Driving Through Flooding

NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED WATER. Most flooding deaths occur in vehicles. It only takes 12 inches of water to wash a car off the road.

NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED WATER Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. 12 inches of water can wash a car off the road

Flooding: Prepare

Flooding can occur during any time of the year. As a result, it’s always best to be prepared! To learn more about flooding and how you can prepare before it happens, visit weather.gov/safety/flood.

Prepare for flooding before it happens. Are you located in a floodplain? What is the fastest way to higher ground? What roads nearby are most likely to flood?

Your Safe Place From Flooding

During a flood, water levels and the rate at which water is flowing can quickly change. You are safest staying indoors, or seeking higher ground if shelter isn’t available. If you’re stuck outside when a flash flood occurs, do not attempt to cross flood waters by vehicle or on foot. Learn more about flood safety at weather.gov/safety/flood

Your safe place from flooding: during a flood, water levels and flow speed can quickly change. You are safest by staying indoors, or seeking higher ground if shelter isn't available. If you're stuck outside when a flash flood occurs, do not attempt to cross flood waters by vehicle or on foot.

Helping Others

Flood events can devastate communities. Help yours be prepared and safe. Connect with your neighbors and discuss local flood risks and planning needs. If flooding is expected, help others elevate and protect their belongings. After the storm, check on your neighbors and keep others out of floodwater.

Helping Others: Flooding. Connect with your neighbors about local flood risks and planning needs. If flooding is expected, help others elevate and protect their belongings. After storms, check on neighbors and keep others out of floodwater.

Small Decisions

Most flood fatalities occur in vehicles, and it only takes 12 inches of water to sweep a car away. Sometimes, the difference between life and death is small decisions. During a flood, small decisions like turning around and not driving through a flooded roadway, not driving around barricades, and delaying travel until conditions improve, can make a big impact on whether you keep your car...or even your life. Turn Around, Don’t Drown.

Small Decisions can have a big impact: Flooding. 1) Turn around and don't drive through a flooded roadway. 2) Don't drive around barricades. 3) Delay travel until conditions improve. Don't let a bad decision be your last.

3 Steps for Flash Floods

During a flood, water levels and the rate at which the water is flowing can quickly change. Get to higher ground. Do not drive or walk into water. It only takes 6 inches of water to knock you off your feet. Stay informed by monitoring local radio and television for updates.

Burn Scars

If you live, work, or spend recreational time outside near an area recently affected by a wildfire, keep in mind that it will not take much rainfall to cause flooding. Land that was recently burned by a wildfire is called a “burn scar,” and when rain falls over a burn scar, the ground is unable to absorb much of the water, which often results in flash flooding.

Burn scars are a flood risk. Rapid rainfall runoff over burned areas can cause flash flooding. Stay weather-ready if you are in or near an area affected by a wildfire.

Putting Your Life and Your Rescuer’s Life at Risk

When you drive into floodwaters, you’re not only putting your own life at risk, but also the lives of your rescuers. It’s far better to be late and remain safe than to take a risk and possibly lose your life. Turn Around Don’t Drown!

Driving into flood waters also puts rescuers' lives at risk. Turn Around Don't Drown.